


The Real Curse

by SuccinctDisquisition



Category: DR. SEUSS - Works, The Lorax (2012), The Lorax - Dr. Seuss, The Lorax - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Humor, M/M, Reconstructed Thneedville, Romance, went with the movie and rolled with it, young Once-ler
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-07 06:23:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 44,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3164567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuccinctDisquisition/pseuds/SuccinctDisquisition
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Movie universe:Ted never came back to hear the rest of the Once-ler's story, but years later he returns to the Oncler's residence to lash out at the man he feels ruined his life. The trees never grew but what else might have remained the same? Ted-ler</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Contemplating the Curse

"The day before it happened was just like any other. I awoke, dressed, stomached whatever food I could force myself to, and watched. For countless years, I gazed out across that wasteland towards Thneedsville, but now my obsession with it was faltering and fading once again. I would take breaks to eat, though, I always knew that I would find myself observing the space between the old factory and the town it once supplied with thneeds when I finished.

If I had to guess, it had been nearly ten years since anyone had escaped that metal-clad city. A young boy had come, inquiring about trees, but he never came back to hear the rest of my story. I thought the kid would be different, that he would be the one to break the curse plaguing the countryside. I believed he would break my curse too.

Since he left on his wheeler, I watched the broken up path to the city with a renewed vigor, hoping that he would return if only for the rest of the story and a truffula seed to accompany it. He never did, however. Years have passed with nothing positive to show for it. The smog and decay of the ecosystem have only worsened. I often found myself fantasizing and yearning for the forest creatures' return. They were the only beings to ever accept me for myself and now they were gone because of my own selfishness.

The Lorax was right and I was too blind to see it. I kept taunting him, asking where his vengeance was but it was not something to be seen in a day or a year. I was feeling it now, decades after I cut down that first truffula tree to make a thneed.

That wasteland was only part of the punishment the Lorax left behind. The other part was something only I knew. I only acknowledged this curse twice a day but I know that it was the worst thing the Lorax could have come up with for me to suffer.

The end of the day drew near. I could barely see hints of red or orange through the smog but I could feel the familiar heaviness in my eyes. The kid would not be returning today. I pulled away from the splintering boards across my upstairs window and closed the shutters up for the night. I rubbed my sore eyes, wishing that just rubbing them could erase the memories in my head. I do not know whether I would have rathered unseeing all of the pollution my factory put out and the destruction of the beautiful forest that I caused or the forest itself. Sometimes, I could imagine being happier not knowing how gorgeous this place had been. How welcomed I felt here. How at home I really was.

I trudged down into my kitchen, reminiscing about the thriving thicket that surrounded my house. The kettle was barely warm to the touch so I fired up the stove and added a bit more water. My refrigerator contained half of a sandwich that I could not finish for lunch. Every time I ate, I would think of the barbalutes and their love of marshmallows. I slunk into my old truffula wood chair and unwrapped my dinner. As I ate and drank, I fussed with my grey moustache due to its knack for getting in the way of eating. I know I must have swallowed at least a few coarse hairs but that was not the cause of my loss of appetite. Ever since I broke my promise to the Lorax, I no longer wanted to eat. I would see those betrayed faces all over again and just stop eating.

A sigh passed my lips and I wrapped the rest of the sandwich up to be placed back into the refrigerator. The tea, however, accompanied me down stairs to my living quarters. I passed through hallways of old pictures of my family. They smiled at me, not because they were happy to see me but because I made them rich for a small time. There were faded gaps on the walls showing where I had once displayed old depictions of the forest. Rare photographs I had taken of the animals, the landscape, and the Lorax. After the last tree fell, it did not take me long to put those pictures away.

My bathroom was the same, though, the green striped wall paper was peeling far more than I should have allowed. It was clean and well kept. I began my nightly rituals. My hat was the first off, placed on the black marble countertop. Then I removed my wig, false moustache, and beard, putting them onto the dummy head and topping it all with my hat. I rinsed off my face determined not to look at my reflection as much as possible but once I lowered the green towel from my tired eyes, I could not help but steal a glance.

Those shocking blue eyes stared back at mine from beneath the same black bangs that have graced my face for years. This was the real curse. I did not change inside or out. I would remain the same unless I changed. I took a deep breath and began to strip. The articles of clothing were tossed haphazardly into the dirty clothes hamper. I stepped out of the bathroom, flicking off the lights and feeling my way to the bed. That horrible face was ingrained in my mind. Those wide blue eyes framed by feathery black wisps of hair pierced my conscience.

I would sit here, remembering forever, unless I changed. The Lorax's words lulled me to sleep as they echoed in my mind.

"As we all leave, here you will stay.

Never being forced, you will remember this day.

The swomee swans will fly, the humming fish swim,

The bar-ba-loots will flee until you're fixed by him.

Here we leave you, in this land so dry,

Waiting for your change, unless you change, you never die."

He kept telling me that the land's revenge did not work how I thought it did. He was right. I rolled over, hoping that my arm would catch a small furry animal but there were none to be caught. I never anticipated that the punishment for my actions was for me to live in this desolate wasteland unless I changed it, unless I changed myself. That one word echoed in my mind until I drifted off into sleep.

Unless."


	2. Throwing the First Stone

Odd noises began prodding the Once-ler's mind but he tried to deny them and remain asleep. Clunk, clunk, crash! The Once-ler tried to ignore the strange noises until his window shattered into his room. He sprang to his feet and slipped on a shard, cutting his right knee. "Shit!" He spat as he fell again on the way to his dresser. He slipped on pajama bottoms with a chorus of more rocks being thrown urging him to hurry up.

On the way up to the boarded window he normally sat at, he snatched up the trademark green gloves and stuffed his arms into them. He grabbed the rope to the rotting shutters and whipped the boarded window open with a sneer across his features. "What do you think you are doing?" The bellowed in the best elderly man voice he could manage at the moment.

The shadowy figure outside lowered its arm a bit before reaching back up for a full swing and a rock flew between two planks across the window and hit Once-ler's chest. The Once-ler bent down to cradle the rock in his hands but when he straightened, the shadow was gone. The screech of wheels on pavement drew his eyes to the road to Thneedville and he caught a glimpse of someone on a two wheeled motor car without a roof. The vehicle raced back into the city and before the Once-ler realized it, he was staring at an empty wasteland again.

The Once-ler made his way back downstairs to his bedroom with his bloody knee protesting the whole way. He flipped the lights on in his room to examine the damage of both his leg and the room. His pants came off first then he sat on his bed scowling at the big red stain marring the surface of his money printed pajama pants. His mother had gotten a set made for everyone in his family. She had wanted everyone to know who the Once-ler belonged to. He tossed the bloodied garment aside with a sigh as he raised his leg for more careful scrutiny.

A shiny sliver glinted at him from between his flesh. He reached into the wound and pulled the small piece of glass out of the wound, wondering how something so small caused such a big cut. The Once-ler rose and crossed his room to the bathroom. He pulled out disinfectants and dressed the wound, wincing the whole while.

When the Once-ler returned to his room, he was reminded that there was more work to do still, before he could go back to bed. He sighed on his way back to the kitchen to retrieve a broom and dustpan to clean up the mess near his bed.

Ted Wiggins sped through the back alleys of Thneedsville on his sleek new black speeder. The main roads were more dangerous than the smaller ones he opted for at night. Ted celebrated the fact that he knew where all of the pot holes were because everything seemed blurry for some reason. The strong wind must have been making his eyes water. He made a sharp turn in front of the old pizzeria and ducked beneath a pipe only to see them eating at some fancy restaurant on the upstairs terrace. Audrey and Tavin laughed with their families, celebrating probably.

Ted stopped to watch the happy couple for a moment. Despite the age difference between himself and Audrey, Ted always believed that he had a chance with her. Then that jerk, Tavin, noticed her. Tavin had been a bully when he was younger. He never messed with Ted, but he would laugh at Audrey's obsession with trees. It was easily dismissible until he found out that she intended to marry the man that gave her a real trufula tree. Every single man and even some in relationships knew that was impossible but that was not enough to deter Tavin.

No, Tavin went into the tree business to get Audrey. He was not the best at anything creative or intellectual but Tavin was smart enough to compile all of Audrey's wishes into a new artificial tree. The city calls them trufoola trees.

'A fitting name,' Ted thought, squeezing his eyes shut. He refused to cry over this because Audrey was not worth it if she would not even look his way. It did hurt though. Audrey was his best friend, had been since they were kids, and now she was moving uptown. Tree designers were upper class and Ted barely made enough to survive. Sure, he made trees too, but manufacturers were nothing compared to designers. Tavin was the most successful of the designers now too. 'Thanks to Audrey!' A bitter voice whined in Ted's head.

Ted shook his head. Willing the tears away did not work nearly as much as he wished it would. A new, more familiar, burning sprang up in Ted's eyes, so he straddled his motorcycle and zoomed home. The air was only getting worse. O'Hare had constructed a dome 'for the people' to display a more vibrant sky. The dome was pretty to look at but it kept the dirty air in instead of letting the pollution spread out. There were pumps and filters constructed to clean up the atmosphere but they could not work nearly fast enough. O'Hare did all of this, free of charge of course, to make his air even more of a necessity. Now, if people were out too long they could die. The air outside was not much better but the pollution was definitely less concentrated. Though Ted knew all of this, he did not mind any of it, smog was just another part of living in Thneedville. Surely every city had its downfalls.

The speeder dashed straight towards Ted's house as the two moved almost as one. Since Ted first got his wheeler, he has always felt secure on vehicles like they were just an extension of himself. The speeder screeched to a halt on his stoop and he dismounted, disregarding the gang loitering just half a block away. They were always there and since the first scuffle he had with them, they have not bothered him again.

Ted lifted the speeder onto his back and entered the combination on his front door. He could not get the image of the family laughing out of his mind. 'Were they laughing at me?' Tavin would not have a joystick on his door to use when unlocking it; he would probably have one of the new systems that could recognize the owners and would even open the door before they even reached the threshold.

Ted jiggled the handle and nudged the door to help it along in opening. The air inside the small living space was stale but Ted did not mind. It was cleaner than the outside. He gently placed the speeder against the wall of the entryway and stooped to examine his weekly jug of air. According to the color changing band on top he barely had any fresh air left. Ted allowed himself a small sigh, most of his good air was used on Audrey recently. She had come over early today to tell Ted about her engagement to Tavin and as always, Ted left the cap off while she was indoors. Audrey was used to having clean air. She always seemed to crinkle her nose at everything down town. Ted murmured grimly, "She probably is not used to breathing just clean air anymore. It has to be scented or nothing I guess. Ha, premium air!"

Ted poured himself a shot of water, not noticing the swampy green tinge it had anymore before gulping it down. He was running out of his water rations for this month too. Thank goodness Horace would bring him more water in the coming days. The water was acceptable but nothing compared to the stuff upper class got. They got premium water. That stuff never had the metallic taste mixed with some sort of bitter sour like the water down town. It tasted like nothing, absolutely nothing. Ted could not afford premium water even if he could find someone to deliver it to his meager house. It cost more a month than his room and board for an entire quarter!

He stepped out of the kitchenette and kicked the couch, not even bothering to watch it spin because he knew that the floor boards facing up would have his bed on them. Ted went to his window instead, to pull a lever near the frame that would open the periscope he made that pointed straight to the Oncle-lers house outside of the city. This time, he really did sigh. All that could be seen through his window was the dome-sky so he shut the trap back up and flopped down on his bed.

The whole day had been his worst nightmare. Tavin released his new trufoola tree to the public in the same ceremony he proposed to Audrey in. Ted knew because one of his coworkers had told him about it. He bailed out of work for the rest of the day to hole up in his house and be alone, but Audrey had to come over to tell him all about her wonderful news. She seemed so happy about the trufoola tree sapling she got as an engagement present, that she barely noticed who she was marrying. The sapling was cute though. It was her favorite trufula tree color, pink, and could even dispense O'Hare's premium scented air.

Ted huffed and turned onto his side to catch sight of an orange fluff by his other window. It was his very own trufoola tree, a prototype that some worker had fudged so he took it home to show Audrey. The same day, Tavin had brought home an even better prototype. Ted thought that his own had more character. It had a small bump here and there and was curved slightly. "Just how a tree ought to be, not all stiff and perfect but free and unique," He whispered to himself and let his eyelids drift shut.

A crash sounded outside and the slight jolt of endorphins made Ted smile. Every time he heard a crash like that, it made him think of that first visit to the Once-ler's house. That hammer could have really hurt him if the Once-ler really wanted it to. His visit to the Once-ler's house today resonated in Ted's mind. Throwing rocks really seemed to stir the old man up. 'Maybe this whole thing was not entirely the Once-ler's fault; he is an old man after all' Ted thought, 'He does not even know why I am mad at him. I should apologize.' With that hazy thought, Ted's mind was made up. He would not be going to work tomorrow. Instead, he and his speeder were going to take another little trip. This time he may not come back.


	3. Leaving Thneedville

On the way out of Thneedsville the next morning, the city was completely void of people except of course for the hawkers trying to sell their various unsuccessful goods. The people ranged from selling dirty ragged looking bodies and drugs that were more filler than substance in his neighborhood to O'Hare's bottled air and food in other districts.

Ted would not blame anyone for not wanting to be out this gloomy morning. Every street he passed had precipitants of unhealthy blackish green sludge that was likely to disintegrate the speeder's tires if Ted stayed in it too long. Of course the phillaphlop would not keep people indoors though. Everyone was probably in the mid-city either enjoying the sample trufoola trees that Biggering Inc always provided when a new model was released, or they were buying the artificial tree of the week. The people of Thneedsville did so love their artificial trees, but Ted found it puzzling that no one cared a sniff about the real trees. The town was surely scrambling to order the new trufoola trees, in their bright exotic colors, but not a soul was interested in getting the real thing that those artificial trees cheaply imitated.

Even the ever present gangs were nowhere to be found that day. It was the perfect day to sneak out of the city. Ted never noticed the scenery's color changes on the way into mid-city anymore. Down town was always brown, grey and drab, even the artificial trees seemed strained with a sickly brown tinge. On the other hand, Mid-city kept things more lively with inhuman shades of eye jarring colors that Ted ignored as they whizzed by in a fantastical rainbow blur. The only slightly bumpy roads in mid-city had even been painted a disgustingly vibrant shade of light blue. People said it was to simulate the feeling of being in the air, that the sky was once that color, but Ted doubted that anything in nature was ever that obnoxious color. Thankfully, as the ever-present smog settled on the painted streets, it dulled down the blue shade to a darker counterpart. The pollution actually made parts of the city more bearable by doing so. The mid-city homes and businesses, though, were washed down nearly every day and treated to keep the building's colors as intolerable as they possibly could be. Most of the buildings in this part of town were shaped the same as they were when he was a child, most lopsided and whimsical in nature. This was no longer true for the uptown and down town areas. The two newer areas had much less color in them, the former contained mostly shades of white but occasionally let a pastel tinted house slip through. All of the houses in uptown were enormous mansions that would most likely teeter and fall if they were built like the mid-city, so they stood proud and tall just like their owners, if a little wide for their sizes though no one would say that to the faces of the over privileged. The downtown however, had buildings nearly as scrawny as the tenants. They all stood straight as well but instead of looking proud and tall, they seemed squished and could be mistaken for just trying to make themselves as small as possible so they did not get bumped into on the normally crowded streets.

These things, the buildings, all rushed past Ted in the same manner though. They were all the same to him no matter their color or stature, they were Thneedsville. All of these places were his hometown, equally so, whether they were in his financial demographic or not. They were all equally unimportant now. He was leaving, at least for the day.

The walls of the city were now hidden by enormous murals and posters. The only way to get out was to know where the gaps were already. Ted had discovered the path out as a child and kept it in mind when the inner walls were erected. His mission for his first off day after the walls were finished was to find out how to get past this new obstacle to the outside world. He had not really intended to leave the city completely. That first set of threats from O'Hare was enough to keep his younger self in line as well as the grounding he received from his mother when she found out about his adventure. He just had to know the escape route. More and more, Thneedsville was becoming a cage and all Ted really wanted was to know that there was a way out. He knew that he could not survive on his own out there but just knowing the way out of the city made him feel secure.

After just ten minutes of riding through the immense city Ted found what he was looking for. It was between a mural of mid-city and something called a fall. The fall was all blues and greens cascading into what looked like a meadow from shiny silver rocks. It seemed like something straight from the imagination of the artist, a natural fountain. Between these two painting though, was a gap just big enough for Ted to push the bag he had brought with him through then follow it on foot, squeezing through the hole, and pull his motorcycle out behind him.

Ted immediately mounted his bike and flipped on the light because the space between the city and the outside was its own man made cave that just sometimes got trickles of light to illuminate the way. Ted took his time now, careful not to scuff his speeder on any stray pipes or to hit a stray sentiplop. The sentiplops barely noticed him on his motorcycle as they went about their tasks, monitoring the valves on the wall and adjusting them accordingly. Ted liked to imagine them as real creatures from the outside despite their glowing red eyes and scaly steel skin. They moved almost as though they were alive, occasionally hopping or crawling about the pipes. Ted meandered around their foot tall forms as much as the cramped cavity would allow. He was careful not to break one, surely calling maintenance over to fix the little city workers and alerting the police that he was leaving.

Ted almost gave a start when he found himself on the top of a familiar incline. He had driven all the way to the door, without even noticing it. The door outside, despite not being used for a number of years, opened much easier than the one to Ted's house. After carefully closing it back up, Ted was off. He left the speeder's running lights on to avoid running over debris or being hit by one of the many only partially dismantled machines littering the highway. There was a time that pieces of the old machines out here were popular to have in your home in down town Thneedsville, so Ted had come out and scavenged the most monstrous evil appearing machines he could find. The selling of those 'commodities' is what paid for Ted's speeder. After he bought it, he got out of the trade. His mother was so worried about him breaking the law. Leaving Thneedsville was strictly prohibited when the machines became popular and bringing back anything from outside could be punished by death in some cases. The city did not word it that way but they would put the perpetrators on some of the most dangerous jobs imaginable. The poor saps that got caught often did not have enough money to even rent a good air filter. There was no way they could survive the toxic fumes that had accumulated in the places they were sent to work. It was a death sentence in everything but name. Ted knew that his mother had just wanted to protect him but he did not feel threatened by the city, he knew he could slip past anything the government put against him.

The ride to the Once-ler's residence was much like the one he had taken as a child sans almost losing his head to the axe blades. Ted pulled his helmet off to enjoy the much less concentrated smog of the outside. The air seemed almost clean out here. Ted supposed the grikkle grass must filter out some of the toxins.

He enjoyed the breeze against his face as he raced down the canyon, pushing the speeder's limits, racing as fast as possible down and the back up again. Ted almost laughed with glee at the feeling as his motorcycle flew up off of the ground when he reached the road on the other side of the canyon. He wished there was some way to recreate the feeling those speeds and flying gave and share them with people. Shortly after his speeder's wheels made contact with the ground again, he began to lose the fluttery feeling the exhilaration gave his heart. His stomach returned to its boring place in his middle and the excited spark that made his breath come in heavy pants left him to return to dull normalcy.

Now the rotting signs surrounded him. They all had vaguely the same message, "Go Away!" but now some displayed it from their resting place on the ground. Some were more crudely worded than others but Ted chose to ignore them all the same. He pulled his helmet back on before he screeched his bike to a halt before the Once-ler's dwelling. He brought his motorcycle back to its standard position, rather than leaving slanted, to climb off of it and approach the intimidating appearing structure.

Ted lifted his motorcycle and carried it to rest just before the porch of the Once-ler's dwelling for safe keeping. He searched the bag he brought for a long handled hammer and a shoddily wrapped package. The parcel was placed before the door carefully and Ted awkwardly knocked on the door with his hammer from around the gift.

Ted could hear muffled shouts and curses from within but waited patiently with the hammer over his shoulder. He groaned as he noticed that a bit of his offering was sticking out of a tear in the drab paper.

"Who is there? What do you want?" The Once-ler huffed out as he peeked out of a small crack between the door and frame. He seemed to eye the oddly shaped package warily.

"My name is Ted Wiggins, I am the one who broke your window last night. May I come in?" Ted's voice came out altered vaguely by his helmet, it almost had an echo as most full faced helmets do. He felt a tad breathless when he sighted those brilliant grey blue eyes again. They were just the same as when he was a child, the Once-ler did not seem to change a bit.

"Why would I let a vandal like you into my home?" The Once-ler's words stung but Ted had anticipated this.

Ted pretended to contemplate this for a moment before giving his response, "I will help you fix whatever I broke. I have some tools and stuff, plus I want to give you something," Ted emphasized his last sentence by nudging the gift closer to the door with the tip of his boot.

The older man ignored he gesture, "You think I need your help to fix my own home?" His voice came out as a raspy growl.

Ted really was taken aback by this response. The Once-ler was old, how could he fix all of this damage. Ted was always good at thinking on his feet though, "No, I think you can fix this house well enough, but I think it is unfair to make you do all the work since I was the one to mess it up. May I come in?" He asked again, hopefully.

"Take off that thing," The Once-ler's voice was filled with disdain as he waved his green gloved hand at Ted's helmet. The visitor complied tough, and removed his shiny black helmet to reveal a familiar face that the Once-ler really did not expect. The last boy who had visited him years ago, was standing on his doorstep. "Come in kid," The brunette looked just a year or two short of the age he was cursed to stay.

The Once-ler opened the door for his visitor who picked up his bike and the package and hoisted them both into the entrance hall. Once-ler stroked his beard and shut the door after the young man. "Leave the contraption by the door. Take that thing." He ordered and strutted towards the parlor.

Ted did as he was told and grabbed the peace offering for the Once-ler before following. The man really was old and moved with a stoop and a slight limp, but he had a lot more black under the grey in his hair than Ted had expected. He really did not change much since the last time Ted saw him. The Once-ler stopped in a warm yellow colored room with comfortable chairs and sofas scattered about the space. The air in the room smelled good. There did not seem to be any pollution in there, it had a welcoming scent that matched the warm intimate atmosphere that was created in the space. It did not smell like any O'Hare air Ted had ever smelled. It did not have any of those perfumed scents that were so popular among the upper class but it did have its own aroma. Ted did not have long to ponder the fragrance, however, because as soon as he joined the Once-ler in the homey room, the Once-ler was on him for information.

"Sit boy. What did you say your name was again?" The Once-ler smoothed out his green vest subconsciously as he spoke and crossed his legs before wincing and uncrossing them, settling his elbows on his thighs and leaning forward.

"Ted Wiggins." Ted answered. He placed the gift in front of the Once-ler before taking a seat across from him. The blue eyed gaze was unwavering and directed solely on Ted. Ted would not let the old kook get to him though; he leaned back in his seat with his legs spread out leisurely and gripped the back of the chair with his right arm to rest his head against.

"This is for me?" The Once-ler questioned suspiciously and Ted nodded in response. "You did not have to give me anything boy," The older man snorted before carefully unwrapping the present. His breath caught in his lungs and his blue eyes widened as he noticed pretty orange fluff poking out of the paper. "What is this?" He asked breathlessly. The rest of the paper came off much more quickly to reveal the 'defective' trufoola tree.

"Do you like it Mr. Once-ler?" Once-ler barely noticed the question as he hesitantly reached out to touch some of the orange fluff, almost as though he feared the artificial tree would turn into vapor and be lost forever just by touching it. The dreamy look on his face melted away the instant his finger grazed the fluff. The corners of the Once-ler's grey moustache dropped just as quickly and his shimmering blue grey eyes widened again beneath dark brows. This time his eyes showed every bit of his disappointment. "What is wrong with it Mr. Once-ler?"

The Once-ler gave a start as he was pulled away from his thoughts. He brusquely said, "Nothing is wrong with it kid. I just thought…" The quiet voice trailed off after a moment. The Once-ler's eyes remained trained on the artificial tree.

"You thought it was real didn't you? They are called trufoola trees; they are supposed to mimic what the real ones were like. You don't like it." Ted kept any emotion from his voice as he spoke. There was no need to show the Once-ler how he felt about the new line of artificial trees.

The Once-ler stared at the trufoola tree for a moment or two more. "Hm? Oh no, this will be just fine," he whispered. "Thank you kid," The two men shared a smile before the Once-ler got serious. "So you will be working for me to help repair my house eh? Why don't we agree on all of the arrangements?"

Ted winced at the tone in the Once-ler's voice. This may not go exactly as he planned.


	4. The Color of his Eyes

After a good deal of discussion, they had their plans all made up. Ted would be staying in a guest room until all of the damage he inflicted was righted. Of course, the Once-ler did not tell the boy that his limp was caused by the rock throwing as well. He did not plan to. If Ted helped him around the house until his leg got better, then he did not know if he would be able to let the boy go away again. Ted insisted on staying in his home to assist him as needed until his debt was repaid but that time certainly must be kept short. The Once-ler had always been alone, for most of his life that is, and he did not think that he could survive letting another friend go.

Ted could not wait to explore old man Once-ler's place. The older man told him that he could wander as he pleased as long as he did not ruin any other part of his home. The boy took that opportunity to undo all of the booby-traps that the Once-ler had so painstakingly rigged over the years. That stupid doorbell prank was the first to go. Ted wanted to destroy that big mallet but decided against it because the Once-ler might have a need for it some day. The older man was ingenious with the way he set up traps but why would he need them? Surely no one visited him anymore. The city had a wall around it and no one really knew he was out here. The traps were definitely unnecessary now. The nineteen year old gathered the simple machines into a bunch and brought them all into the old man's basement.

Unlike the rest of the house, the Once-ler's basement was dirty, dusty, and unkempt. Ted pulled his T shirt over the bottom half of his face before he descended the steps. He deposited his burden into an old wooden crate and almost left when he saw an orange blur moving from his peripheral vision. Ted quickly flipped on the light switch and hurried to the box that the orange mess disappeared behind. Whatever it had been was gone. The boy sighed and let his hand fall away from the dusty crate, noticing words on it as the dust came off. "Do not open" It read when Ted swiped the rest of the dust away. 'Simple enough.' The boy thought as he lifted the lid to reveal hundreds of pictures.

The top one was a slightly torn drawing of an orange creature with a yellow moustache of all things. Ted brushed it away without a second thought and began flipping through photographs of forest before the Once-ler began making his thneeds. 'How could someone destroy something so pure, so beautiful?' His mind lingered on what sort of monster might have left the forest in this condition. Was the beautiful place in the photographs even the same place he saw outside? He came to a picture of a young man with some sort of bear.

The black haired boy had an enormous smile on his face as he held the bear tightly. The miniscule bear was eagerly munching on what appeared to be a marshmallow and an orange fish was peeking out of the creek behind them. Out of habit, Ted flipped the picture over to read, "Me and Pipsqueak, the last time we will ever go near that river." Whoever was in the picture had even underlined the word ever. Ted scrutinized the photograph again, taking in the boy's thin, almost lanky, form. His clothes may not have been the best fit but they certainly hung on him well. His hat suited him so well and covered his wispy black hair just right but the boy had his eyes closed. Ted could not help but wonder what color his eyes were as he began to hurriedly search through the rest of the pictures for another of this young man.

One was taken from behind him as he fussed over a pile of orange and yellow fluff. No eyes in that shot either. Ted began rummaging again but was interrupted by old man Once-ler. "What do you think you are doing kid? Get out of there now!" Ted bolted upright, and stuffed everything back into the box where it was originally, more or less. He slammed the lid back down onto the crate, spreading dust. Ted rose from his crouch, chagrined, with a feint blush spread across his cheeks that his shirt only partially covered.

"I was just looking through some old pictures. Who was that black haired boy?" Ted felt the heat rise up in his cheeks even more as he spoke but he just had to know who that boy was. The old man just turned in response and told him not to return to the basement. Ted silently watched the Once-ler lock up the door to the stairs and pocket the key. "Please, Mr. Once-ler, tell me who that guy was in the pictures."

The man turned to him with ice in his gaze, "Why would you want to know? That man was a menace! He should have never come here." Ted recoiled at the venom in his companions words. The Once-ler began his walk back over to the parlor but stumbled on a piece of wood Ted had dropped. The brunette boy rushed to his side, and helped him back up only to notice blood leaking through old man Once-ler's pants on his right knee.

"You are hurt!" Ted cried with worry staining his voice.

"No shit." Came the Once-ler's sarcastic reply.

"You are bleeding!"

"I am old."

"What does that have to do with anything?" The teenager questioned as he helped the elder into the sitting room.

"Oh, I thought we were just pointing out the obvious." The Once-ler chuckled wryly and Ted had to suppress the urge to hit the old man.

"I am going to take off your pants." Ted said levelly before reaching towards the clasp of the Once-ler's green slacks.

"What? Why?" The older man exclaimed. "I can take care of myself, I have been doing it for years. Now get off me, kid."

Ted huffed when old man Once-ler finally batted his hands away. "Then can I at least help you up to your room?" The blue eyed man grudgingly consented and after a great deal of huffing and puffing the pair made it upstairs. Old man Once-ler bid Ted good night with express orders to stay away from his room. Ted crossed his arms and hopped back down the stairs, taking in the images of ugly people the Once-ler had strewn about his lair. These had to be of his family. One person wore make-up and feminine clothes but Ted still could not decide whether the line backer's figure belonged to a man or a woman. Not a single picture on the first floor depicted the black haired boy, but Ted decided that old man Once-ler must have been one of the hick twins in most of the photographs. Neither of them had his pale eyes but maybe the pictures were just so old that his eyes did not show up as well.

Ted turned off all of the downstairs lights and made his way up stairs past old man Once-ler's room. The kitchen was on the next landing up so Ted stopped for a snack. The table was made of some heavy dark wood and had been polished to a dull shine. A copper kettle sat alone on the old fashion stove that still had a small fire under it. Ted swiftly shut the flame off and sniffed the contents of the kettle. It smelled like tea. "Heh, old man." Ted chuckled and searched the cabinets for a mug to pour himself some into. He added generous amounts of sugar before even bothering to taste the overly sweet concoction. His mouth tightened in what could almost be described in a small smile around the taste. "Needs something else," Ted stated and bent to inspect the contents of the Once-ler's refrigerator. "Nothin' in the fridge. Oh, hello!" Ted pulled out half of a sandwich and unwrapped it before chowing down on the morsel.

He examined the room as he munched and drained the contents of his light green mug. The place was quaint but had a content feeling about it. Ted noticed that the room was completely pollutant free. The smell was entirely comprised of spices and tea. There was a peculiar smell to the whole house that Ted just could not place in his mind. How was this rickety structure so smog free? He took in the drawings on the grey blue walls. They were all of some farm or something. They featured big fat birds pecking at exposed dirt and livestock gazing out in fields. Ted's favorite was a sketch of some lanky little boy leaning with one arm up on a mule. The boy's grin almost matched the black haired guys' perfectly except that the kid had a gap between his two front teeth.

A yawn hit Ted before he could protest so he dropped off his mug on the grey tile countertop and headed upstairs after making sure that all of the lights were off and the stove was indeed no longer burning. The pictures on the walls of the stairwell had all of the same ugly family as the downstairs. Even in the dark, their smiles hinted at something else more sinister than genuine. Ted opened the door to the room old man Once-ler said he could stay in and noticed that it was designed to look like a forest. There were fluffy colorful pillows on the brown sheeted bed. The carpets were shaggy in a grass green color and the walls and ceiling were painted a light blue. This blue was not sickening like the one used to paint the roads in mid-city, but instead a peaceful hue.

Ted traced the trees that looked so much like the ones Audrey had painted on her house so many years ago with a frown. She would not be thinking of him right now. Her mind would be consumed with thoughts of her new fiancée or the trufoola trees that she probably had spread around her new mansion. His gaze lingered up to wispy white oblong circles scattered across the blue space and it took his mind a moment to register what those objects were supposed to be. Those fluffy white balls were clouds, unpolluted clouds. He backed up, still staring at the painted ceiling until he fell on the bed. The cushiony mattress was enormous and Ted briefly wondered who would need such a big bed to sleep in.

Those thoughts were cut short as he turned his head and caught a whiff of the pink fluff his head was laying on. The creamy sweet smell penetrated his senses and fogged his mind with a pleasant stuffiness. He kicked off his shoes and clicked off the bedside lamp already lost in the silky texture of his pillow. Silky did not even begin to describe this sensation really, it felt like he was caressing the clouds from the ceiling except a thousand times finer. The wispy fronds of the trufoola tree had nothing on this heavenly material. This was made from the tufts of a real trufula tree. Ted wanted to keep the fluffy feeling of the pillow and its smell inside of him forever but a single image kept shattering the haze his senses created, the image of the black haired boy. Ted could not help but wonder what color his eyes were before drifting off to sleep.


	5. A New Painting

Once-ler sneered at the mess in his kitchen. Crumbs littered the floor from what he could only guess was the rest of that sandwich he was planning on eating. There was a dirty mug next to a small pile of crumby cellophane on an otherwise immaculate counter top. The blue eyed man tossed the plastic ball into the waste bin, then washed out the cup and left it on the drying rack on his wall. Next he brushed the crumbs off the grey tiled surface and swept the wood floor. The room was now just about spotless as any other day but it just did not feel quite right.

The Once-ler stroked his grey beard puzzling over the dilemma, and then it came to him. The boy had been in here. It did not feel quite right because for the first time in decades someone else was in his house. Even if the kid had not done anything irreparable, there was still the lingering sensation of someone else's presence. He knuckled his moustache, trying to decide whether he liked this feeling.

A drawing on his wall called him to it. The sketch he had done just a few years ago from an old photograph of him on the farm with Melvin seemed to draw him straight to it. His hair had a cowlick in it back then, and just seeing it in the drawing made the Once-ler adjust his top hat. He brushed his tongue over his teeth to reassure himself that that gap had cleared up then grinned back at the drawing. It did not seem to be smiling at him, however. 'What is that goof smiling at anyway?' He wondered. His mind began to drift back to that time. The happiest moments back then were when his mother gave him rare praise or when he went out to spend time with his mule.

Melvin was a great friend, always willing to listen even if he found whatever was being said insignificant. His mind drifted back to how happy Melvin was when they settled down in the trufula forest. The hurt on Melvin's face when he left with the rest of Once-ler's friends nagged him and replaced the bored expression he sported in the sketch. The mule had stuck with the Once-ler through his crazy family and when his business looked as though it would never succeed. It showed him that no one would stay with someone so greedy and obsessed with success. Even his best friend had left him.

The Once-ler looked back to the boy in the drawing. His gap toothed smile was so genuine and elated. He wondered if he could ever smile like that again. It had been so many years since then, and even if he had not changed much physically, he was not the same person. The kid wanted to know who the younger Once-ler was in all of his old pictures. Why would he care? They were just old pictures; it was not like they meant anything.

The Once-ler mused about how adamant the kid was about his younger self so much that he eventually just snatched the drawing of himself from the grey blue wall to store under the sink. The kid would never find it there. He would probably not even remember the pictures of the Once-ler's youth when he woke up. The boy would forget all about him. The small smile on the Once-ler's face faltered. If only he could forget about that ambitious young man as well. If only he could forget about everything that lead up to this moment. He sank into one of the dark chairs around his kitchen table, allowing his body to melt into the age smoothed wood. If only he could forget everything.

His knee was still complaining this morning. Whining at him from beneath the table because of all the neglect he had been showing it, but he just ignored any protests. The copper kettle joined the chorus of screams and even managed to drown out his own mind's ramblings for a short period.

The Once-ler grabbed a nice hot mug of tea and left the kitchen, determined to take his mind off of everything that it insisted on dwelling on.

Meanwhile- in Ted's room...

Ted moaned loudly, startling himself out of his sleep induced haze. A fuzzy mess was plastered to his face in an itchy stringy blob which he promptly scraped off to realize it was the trufula pillow. He peeled himself off of the brown sheeted bed and staggered towards the bathroom. Something felt odd, more strained than his body normally felt in the morning like a spring coiled under too much tension. He stared at his reflection, eyes still blurred from sleep. He rubbed his eyes sluggishly. The cloudy gunk refused to give up its nest in the corners of his eyes so he started the shower to wash it out with. Ted's clothes had an almost sticky quality due sweat that had coated them in his sleep. He mentally berated himself for not taking them off before lying on the bed but he did not expect to fall into unconsciousness as quickly as he fell onto the mattress. He worked his pants off, not noticing a familiar bulge until he was left standing in just his underwear.

MMM

A sigh passed Ted's lips and he reached across the room to lock the door before his black silky boxers joined the clothing party taking place on the floor. He stepped into the delicate rain of warm water. Images were pushed out of his mind as he began his ritual of release. A red haired goddess with sparkling green eyes normally visited his fantasies as he relieved his hormonal pressures but he was determined to push those obsessions out of his mind this morning. His desire for her had to be quelled sometime, so instead he stroked evenly keeping his mind as empty as possible.

This new method was getting him absolutely nowhere, however, so he decided to try to remember if a dream brought on the wood this morning. The digging in his mind began more as a blind groping around his memories. He finally discovered some dream that was buried under murky morning thoughts and the worries that plagued his mind. He internally clawed to get to that dream while subconsciously tightening his grip on himself. As if it were never gone the images flooded back to him. A noise escaped Ted's lips halfway between a moan and a groan as a pale slim body came into focus. Before he could even try to dispel the memory he was positive would be of Audrey, the misty form coalesced into a lean dark haired man.

A gasp was pulled out of him like the kiss of a longtime lover at the excited jump of the flesh in his grasp. He did not expect to see the young man from the pictures standing before him with his eyes closed and a small serene smile gracing his youthful features. Ted saw slight glimmers between the black haired boy's lashes as he examined the still growing cock in Ted's hand.

A whisper escaped his pale lips, lacking any true voice but still loud enough for Ted to hear over his own heart pounding up into his ears. "Is this for me?" The flirtier counterpart of the darker haired man's grin came out to play as he kneeled down to trace only slightly calloused fingers over Ted's thighs. A small pink tongue caressed the kneeling boy's lips sensually as he gently nudged Ted's hands off of the erection. A hot tentative lick fluttered over the hardened flesh before Ted was encased in the hot haven of pleasure.

The brunette's eyes fluttered closed as he leaned back to enjoy the other man's skilled work. Everything started out so slow like the lightest teasing caress but it quickly escalated to brutal suction that threatened leave Ted's very soul ragged. He knew he could not last much longer, "Look up," His husky voice graced the working boy's ears and he hesitantly complied. Ted's release came hard and strong, shooting past his fingertips into the warm stream of water to accumulate into swirling clouds before being washed away down the drain.

MMM

Ted paid his surroundings no mind though. There was just one thing imprinted into his blissful orgasm high head. Those eyes. They were wide, almost surprised looking and the sharpest clearest blue-gray he had ever seen. Ted knew them the instant he saw them but it did nothing to deter his pleasure, if anything it threw him off of the ledge faster. The eyes that he imagined on his newest impossible love interest were none other than old man Once-ler's, and he still had to go downstairs to mingle with the eccentric man. Today was going to be extremely awkward.

The Once-ler had expected the thudding of someone coming down the stairs for quite a while. It was already after noon and the lazy kid was just joining him for the day. At least the Once-ler knew the kid was clean, he had heard the shower running for quite some time as well as some unusual sounds but he dismissed anything abnormal to belonging to the old house. He began packing up his paints when the water shut off and now that the damp boy had joined him, he had all of the supplies packed away and was caught fanning the equally damp painting of the kid he had finished that morning. Ted paused on the last step with a look of sheer disappointment on his face. He shook out some of the stray droplets weighing down his bangs to droop down into his eyes slightly. He mussed up his short hair absently wondering whether he should change his hair style, it had stayed pretty much the same since he was a child.

"Mornin' Mr. Once-ler," The kid said as he sat across from the older man. His smile gave him away, though, and the Once-ler arched an eyebrow quizzically.

"Something's on your mind kid," It was not a question but the brown haired boy shook his head all the same. "What is bothering you?" The pair sat in silence for quite some time, letting the minutes drip past like the excess water in Ted's hair. The Once-ler had given up on the kid answering and settled for sipping his tea quietly as his newest painting dried, but Ted surprised him.

The boy shifted in what was almost an awkward manner before he spoke quietly, "You moved the drawing of the black haired boy."

"So?"

Dark eyes met wise watery ones in a sort of challenging manner before dropping back down sadly. "I liked that one. Who was he, Mr. Once-ler?" It started as not much more than a mumble but developed into an honest question that deserved an honest answer.

The Once-ler refused to give the one Ted deserved, instead he told as much as he could at the time, "He was someone I was very close to once, but we were never meant to be together." He did not notice the undertones in his own statement but Ted certainly did, he was looking for them.

"He was your lover?" The curious brown orbs that accompanied the unsure voice searched for answers for more questions than were stated.

The Once-ler pondered that inquiry for the briefest of moments before giving the most truthful answer he could, "At one time we were as close as two people could get but eventually he became disgusted with me and decided that I was not worth ever touching again. I do not see him much any longer but he does occasionally come around. It is nothing like when he was a young man, though. Long years in the world have changed both of us." Ted nodded solemnly, apparently accepting the Once-ler's explanation and the two shared another silent moment. This one was much more comfortable, one of understanding where the other was one of unease shared by two men who were not accustomed to one another. The silence showed both boys a mutual acceptance, something neither was really used to, but also something both were open to letting in.

Ted cleared his throat when the quiet left his thoughts buzzing around his head. "He was pretty damn hot. At least you could get a guy like that." The words came out bitterer on his mouth than he wanted so he decided to make a cup of tea to wash the taste out with.

Ted did not expect the chuckle when he turned his back on old man Once-ler or the playful toned remark that followed, "So you think the lad was hot, do you kid?" Ted froze, that was what he had said, wasn't it? "Is there something you have not told me or is it a secret from the world as well?" Ted wracked his mind for an answer but none were coming fast enough. There was a hint of something peculiar in the older man's voice but it was difficult to detect and even more impossible to decipher.

"I um," Where was Ted's quick wit when he really needed it?


	6. Toupee or Not to Pay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stupid chapter titles are stupid.

Ted had never really liked anyone other than Audrey and just the thought of him having feelings for another male was enough to make his head spin like a hyperactive carrousel. His thoughts were racing much too fast for him to pick out the best one to voice, so instead he grabbed a hold of any one of them to have something to hold onto while he endured whirling in his head. The still reeling words escaped his mouth before he could even figure out what they meant, "Well I'd fuck him,"

Ted blinked in surprise at his own statement, but his companion just blew out his straggly moustache before letting out an uproarious guffaw. A blush crept onto the teenager's face as old man Once-ler cackled and coughed. The laughter began to fade. "You would, would you? I did not think you'd go that way, kid." Old man Once-ler stood, now that his amusement had ebbed, to wash out his used mug. When he glanced back at Ted, the boy appeared to be trying to fuse with his seat to avoid this awkward conversation and the ridicule it threatened to breed. He stroked his beard before deciding to put an end to the strange discussion that had taken over the afternoon. "There is some chicken in the oven if you want it. You still have work to do, kid, before you leave my domain." And with that, he strode out of the room, downstairs to his bedroom.

Ted was left there alone with his thoughts. He had no appetite. Even his hunger for an older redhead had gone away. Now, the brunette boy was left with a desire to be with another man, one with dark hair and a charming smile. He wished there was a way to be with that gorgeous guy but they were from two different times. The black haired Adonis had to be as old as the Once-ler by now. His beauty had probably been robbed from him by years gone by. Ted cursed those years for their crime against him. The man had probably settled down by now with a happy family. There was nothing Ted could ever entice the other man with. He had nothing to offer, so he would end up all alone like the Once-ler had, destined to spend his last days in an isolated old house far away from any human contact.

"No!" Ted stood. "I will not let that happen to Mr. Once-ler." His mind was now made up. He would be there for the Once-ler as long as he could be. Ted would not let the man leave this world all alone. He had to be there. He rushed down to the Once-ler's room to see the older man crouched down on the floor near the broken window. The air in this room held the disgusting smell of the outside. It drowned out most of the pleasant smells that the Once-ler's residence had built up in it. "Didn't you sleep in here, Mr. Once-ler?" The boy asked around his wrinkled nose.

"Yes, I always do." The Once-ler's voice was even more gravelly than it had been before. The smog must have been getting into his old lungs and making a home of them. It was probably throwing its disgusting trash all over the place.

"Why don't you go back into the kitchen? I can take care of the window myself, Mr. Once-ler," Ted rubbed his nose trying to decide if the air was worse than before or if he had just gotten used to the nice smells in the old house.

Old man Once-ler stared at the boy for a moment more before asking, "You are sure?" When the kid nodded his confirmation with a bright smile, the other man departed without a question more.

Ted left the room to go back down stairs. His helmet and a belt of tools still sat on his speeder. He patted the glossy black surface of the motorcycle longingly before he left it to return to the Once-ler's bedroom. His face scrunched up once more at the smell before he shoved the helmet over his head and turned its filter on. The air was cleaner than what had seeped into the room through the broken window but it lacked the pure comfortable quality the air in the rest of the house had. How could old man Once-ler sleep with such disgusting air floating about his room?

Shaking the thoughts about the air out of his head, Ted grabbed the old pair of green work gloves on that the Once-ler had left behind and got to work on the window. The broken glass left in the pane was first to go. He placed the shards in a cardboard box that the Once-ler had left next to the window. He had to break some up more to get them out but eventually he had vacated the frame and began to work the insulating rim for the window out of the socket. Pulling hard just snapped it so Ted had to opt for scraping it out with a tool he had brought. After hours of scraping the crusty insulation off the wall Ted straightened and grabbed a rag from his work belt.

He glanced around old man Once-ler's room taking in the gloomy looking green and blue color scheme. Unlike the rest of the building, the Once-ler's room had no pictures or anything decorating the walls. The bed was a more standard size than the one in the guest room and was dressed in all dark greens and blacks. It almost matched the Once-ler's clothing. The bed posts were stained in rich blacks and held a deep green canopy to drape over the bed. The furniture was stained in mostly the same black to match. All of the furnishings were lavish and large but nothing superfluous was in sight. The walls were a dark depressing blue that made the space imposing all by itself. In all, Ted expected to see something like this in Tavin's home. The furnishings themselves looked down at Ted with distaste at his cheap synthetic clothes. Everything in this room was of a higher stature than he, but he denied wooden faces the satisfaction of him leaving. He stood straighter and walked parallel to the thick black moldings on the wall to old man Once-ler's bathroom.

Behind the heavy wooden door, this room was not much more like the rest of the house. Maybe that horrid smell belonged in the Once-ler's rooms. It certainly suited them well enough. The room was clean, pristine almost, with black marble fixtures that were not overpowering but demanded recognition of their high value. The black and green wallpaper was peeling just slightly at a couple of corners in the room which made Ted feel more at home around the real silver facets and switches. Ted began to run the water in the sink to soak his work rag in and inspected the dummy head sitting on the black marble surface. 'The Once-ler must wear a toupee,' the boy thought idly. He shut off the stream of water before ringing out his rag and drying off the now soaked green work gloves with one of the deep green towels hanging on the wall. He dropped the towel haphazardly on the edge of the counter on his way out of the door.

The moist rag was then used to remove any excess crust from the window sill and the walls surrounding the hole to the outside. Ted closed the shutters and sealed the gap in the wall with a plastic cover to keep any more smog from getting in. A black wooden grandfather clock with silver inlays read seven twenty six already. It ticked at Ted mockingly as he sighed and stretched his cramped muscles. He was not used to working in one spot all day. At least at Biggering Inc he could move around the construction floor as he worked. His muscled shoulders protested moving now that he could stand straight but he forced them to swing and stretch. Legs that initially shivered unsteadily were shaken back to life and walked back out of the posh room. Ted climbed the stairs to find the Once-ler sitting at his kitchen table working vigorously in a sketchbook.

An endearing smile spread across the brunette's face as he collected a bowl of soup that old man Once-ler had prepared for dinner. He filled a glass with water marveling at how clear the water was. The whole thing could have been made of the highest quality crystal with how clean it was. Ted moved his dinner to the table and his bottom halfway to the chair he had chosen but was interrupted by old man Once-ler, "I KNOW you don't think that you are sitting down at MY table with that THING on your head." Puzzled, Ted brought an uncertain hand to his head and realized that he had not taken off his helmet or gloves from working on the window. He forced the helmet off of his head and was immediately ambushed by the spicy smells of the Once-ler's kitchen. They were quick and persistent just like the old ladies in the group home his mother now stayed at. It was not a scary assault but one from something welcoming that insisted he had been away far too long no matter how short a time it has been since he was last among them. Next the gloves came off, and he placed them all on the table, "Get those things off my table, kid," Ted obeyed with barely a thought to do anything other than what the Once-ler requested. He found himself mesmerized by those piercing blue gray eyes. They belonged more on a hunter, something willing to claw its way to the top no matter the cost, than this elderly man before him. Ted could have lost himself then and there. No wonder the black haired boy fell for those eyes.

Ted sat now and began to devour the portion he had served himself as the Once-ler continued to scribble. Ted used this time with the old man distracted to look for signs of his toupee. The black hair below his straggly white could not be real so he deemed everything atop the Once-ler's head fake. Ted chuckled at his companion's misfortune with hair, and blue eyes shot him with their scrutiny. "Just thought of something funny," The man turned back to his pad of paper. "Maybe this will not be so bad," Black brows furrowed at that last statement but no questions were voiced, the man was too engrossed in his drawing.

Ted knew that his work here would not take much longer to complete but he did not really want to return to his quaint house in down town Thneedsville. This place felt more like…. More like what? A home…?


	7. How Much Trouble Can One Towel Cause?

The two parted ways after dinner with not much more said between them. The Once-ler went back to his normal rituals for nighttime. He locked himself in his quarters to strip down, noting gratefully that Ted closed the hole in the wall back up. He drew up a warm bath, glaring at the peeling wallpaper. He really did need to do something about that problem. A towel laid askew on his black marble counter top near the door but the Once-ler could not make himself right that problem. Ted had left it that way and that is how it would stay for the time being. The water neared his desired level so he began to take off the rest of his layers. These were ones he detested removing. Each piece cast off showed more and more of a young face. They all were placed on their mantel almost reverently but Once-ler despised what they stood for. He continued to stare at them for the remainder of the time it took for his bath to fill. The faceless head stared back at him, laughing that he could not even bear to look at his own reflection. The two had done this before, locked themselves in a staring contest between an ambitious young man and another much older one who had already climbed to the summit only to be cast off to plummet back down to the base of the mountain. It was familiar now. It did not happen every night but it did occur often enough for both to recognize it as a common course of events.

Once-ler noticed the water reach its peak amount and shut off the flow to climb into the marble tub. The water felt so relaxing. No, the whole day felt more relaxing than normal. Today he was not waiting for anything. The Once-ler did not think that what he was waiting for had come but he did not feel that he had to wait for it anymore. If it was coming, it would come without him wasting his days waiting for it. He washed himself in his habitual ways, from top to bottom, and got out of the bath. The stopper was stuck again and refused to give up its place. It was an insolent child that would not learn its lesson no matter how he tried to punish it. He heaved and puffed as he pulled on it. The extra stress only made his leg ache more. This match of strength became a more lengthy battle in the war, but after a particularly tremendous heave, the stopper lost the tug-of-war and the Once-ler tumbled onto his butt. With his legs and arms strewn about and his body naked and dripping, sitting on its now sore rump, he huffed. Throwing a tantrum, he hurled the stopper back into the depths from which it came and exited the bathroom slamming the door in the process. He did not give a second thought to the soft thud that sounded from the other side of the door; instead, he launched himself onto his bed. The green sheets wrapped around the wet body consolingly and coaxed all of the stress out of his body with soft caresses. The Once-ler fell asleep in their loving embrace.

Not many hours had passed when blue eyes sprang open. Sleeping in all that water was a horrible idea! The Once-ler shot up and over to the bathroom door in record time on his sleep wobbly legs. The handle turned easy enough but when Once-ler tried to push the door open, it caught on some resistance. Again and again he tried but the urge to pee overwhelmed him so he left the mocking door behind to bolt upstairs to use the only other bathroom in his house. He took stairs in twos and threes until he reached the landing he was after.

Not even trying to sneak, he burst through the bedroom door and rushed into the room's bathroom to urinate. The Once-ler barely kept the sense of mind to close the door behind him before he turned on the lights and relieved himself. Feeling much better, he flushed the toilet and rinsed his hands before opening the bathroom door to leave.

Then he was frozen, standing in the bathroom doorway with his hand poised to flip the light switch, utterly naked, with a startled brunette squinting at him. The boy yawned, bringing one hand up to cover his stretched jaws. He tossed the brown sheet off of his body and approached the strange man who was using his bathroom in the middle of the night. Ted swallowed audibly when he realized that the face belonged to the black haired boy. His wide eyes looked startled but in the poor lighting he could not see their color. "My, my, my, what are you doing in my bedroom at this hour?" The brunette's eyes trailed downward on the other man's lithe frame. "Without any clothes, too. This must be my lucky day."

MMM

The kid was standing much too close for Once-ler's liking. His words ghosted across the black haired man's chin and he thanked the heavens that he had a couple of inches advantage on the other boy. Those thanks came back to taunt him, though, because before he could blink the kid had hooked a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him right in for a kiss. His mind surged, 'The kid is kissing me!' Where his mind had lost its clarity, his body reacted almost instantly. He snaked his arms around Ted's waist and pulled him flush against himself to deepen the kiss.

Ted caught on quickly and slithered his tongue from its cave to gently tickle the other man's lips until they parted. The pink appendage then took over the Once-ler's mouth and took this time to explore with an inexplicable expertise.

The passion in the kiss clouded Once-ler's mind with thoughts he never thought he would see the likes of again. These distracted him for just long enough for him to be directed backwards toward the bed. His knees buckled at contact with the mattress and his head bounced slightly when he fell back. Ted was wasting no time though. The brunette explored a pale expanse of chest with calloused fingers and grazed nipples harshly before swallowing whatever gasps the man beneath him let out in harsh kisses. He nipped The Once-ler's bottom lip before delving his tongue back into mouth he had only fantasized about before. Wandering hands dragged down the sides of the black haired boy whose own fingers were buried into soft sheets trembling. Kisses trailed across to Once-ler's ear and a husky voice sent the desert wind across small appendage. "I will make you feel so good if you let me," The Once-ler let out a shaky breath only partially at the boy's words because at that same moment warm hands had wrapped around his unclothed erection. "May I?"

Ted heard the man beneath him gulp before he nodded cautiously. Ted gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He scooted down the other man's body to his pelvis and eyed his penis curiously. It moved in his grasp when he licked his lips. Something permeated through his lust confused mind, a smell. This man was the other smell in this house and oh how Ted wanted to taste that smell too. His tongue left his mouth to circle the tip of the other man's erection and slide across the leaking slit on top. The taste was much better than he had heard, maybe just because of whom it was he tasted. Ted dived down onto the Once-ler to take as much of his neediest organ into his mouth as possible. He gagged a little but the loud moan it earned him was enough to encourage his actions. He began to bob his head in the uncoordinated fashion of a beginner, only taking in as much of the black haired boy as he could. It did not take long for the boy to get his bearings, though. His rhythm evened out and the Once-ler moaned out his appreciation between heavy pants and gasps.

Ted chanced a glance up as he worked the other man further towards his orgasm and what he saw made him drool even more. Black hair was splayed about the thin man's head and his eyes were screwed shut under furrowed eyebrows. His head surged backwards at a particularly hard suck and his red cheeks darkened in pleasure. Another gasp escaped the Once-ler's lips which were parted in a blissful expression. Ted smiled at the other with his mouth full even though he could not see it and decided to take on a new task now that the blow job was on the right track. He caressed the black haired man's thighs with both hands and brought his grasp around the outside and wormed them beneath his thighs to coax Once-ler's legs to lift up. Ted swallowed and the legs bent up further as the Once-ler arched his back with a pleasure filled groan. Another obscured grin stretched around the Once-ler's hardened dick.

Ted grabbed the base of the penis before him while simultaneously inserting a rough finger into Once-ler's ass. The writhing man hardly noticed the intrusion or anything beyond the divine mouth sucking away at his nether regions, but his body did notice. Ted struggled to thrust his finger due to the Once-ler's orifice clenching around it. He removed his other hand from the erection to massage the other man's hip. The opening began to loosen and after a few more thrusts of his finger. Ted added a second and began to work them in and out to loosen the muscles. His other hand did not return to Once-ler's penis, though, instead it strayed just a bit further between the black haired thighs to gently rub on his scrotum.

The Once-ler arched again, almost choking Ted in the process. The wonderful sensations were bringing his squirming body closer to a feeling that he had not experienced in decades. His black haired head whipped around as another finger was added to his rectum and the tickling of his balls was evolved into a rubbing jiggle. A steady swallowing around his dick began and his ears began ringing, toning out even the loud beating in his head. Fingers brushed his insides in the ideal way and he glanced down at the kid who was so engrossed in his mission that he seemed to forget that there was a person attached to that dick. Ted dove down again while arching fingers in just the right way to make Once-ler cry out in his release. "Ted!" The name fell on deaf ears. One man was wrapped in an extraordinary world of white bliss while the other was trying not to choke as he swallowed up all the hot seed that shot into his mouth.

The Once-ler gasped with ragged breath as Ted joined him back at eye level. The black haired man looked so at peace in his excited numbed state that Ted wanted pound that serenity out of existence. Instead he settled for asking, "Was it good?" in a rough voice created by the friction and come of the blow job. Lust darkened eyes sprung open and Once-ler lunged his upper half off the bed to capture Ted's lips in a kiss that was so expressive it could talk. 'Yes, yes, it was.'

Ted returned the kiss with a searing vigor that pushed the black haired man unto his back again. His hands were rough when they groped the body beneath them this time. The nervous hands that once clutched the covers were now exploring an exposed back and burying themselves in sweaty hair. An adventurous hand slipped Ted's boxers off which were kicked to an area banished from the minds of the two kissing men. One hand guided Ted's erection towards Once-ler's waiting entrance causing Ted to groan wantonly before he plunged into the perfect heat of his lover. The black haired man moaned demandingly and Ted acquiesced to his unspoken words by rocking steadily into his body. It only took a few humps for the two to establish a rhythm. They shared one more sloppy kiss in their heated passion before Ted rose up to slam into Once-ler at a better angle. Once-ler arched his back causing Ted hit his prostate. A scream ripped out of his lips and he tried to voice his want between needy gasps but no distinguishable words could be moaned out.

"I got ya," Ted said huskily before grabbing Once-ler's hips to keep that angle with his thrusts. Ted's climax caught up with him as almost blue eyes flashed at him from under the lids of the black haired man writhing beneath him. He thrust once more into the blissful cavern of the Once-ler before calling out a name in his orgasm, "Once-ler!"

The black haired man gasped when he heard his name escape the lips of the gorgeous brunette above him. Those dark eyes were focused on him alone as the boy jerked further into his prostate causing him to climax as well. The Once-ler screamed over the boy's voice calling out his name again. Both men heaved as they attempted to regain their breath. Ted fell off to the side of the other man and wrapped his arm loosely around the Once-ler's chest smiling contently.

MMM

The Once-ler fell asleep in a warm embrace for the second time that night. Ted realized what he had said in his explosive state and decided to apologize though the other man could not hear him. "I am sorry for calling you the Once-ler," the boy mumbled out before sleep took him as well into her soft blanketed haze.


	8. The Epic of Sneaking Out in the Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains the crime of sneaking in one's own home. For shame!

The Once-ler awoke first to feel an unfamiliar weight spread across his middle and even more surprising object resting on his chest. Ted's head was resting on his bare chest and even though he could not see anything beyond the other male, he had a good feeling that he was missing other articles of clothing besides his shirt. A small puddle of drool had accumulated beneath the slumbering brunette, but the serene expression on his face made up for it and more. The Once-ler did not want to leave the warm hold but he absolutely could not let the kid catch him in his bed. So he added a hand to the base of the soft brown hair and gently lifted the sleeping cuddler. As he laid Ted onto a fluffy orange thneed pillow, brownish green eyes fluttered open and caught him in the act.

The kid smiled softly before mumbling words so softly that they barely reached the Once-ler's ears before evaporating into nothingness, "I hoped it was you, Mr. Once-ler." Their lips met, just a light touch that was hardly there. When Once-ler pulled back up into reality, though, Ted's eyes were already hidden by lids with a light dusting of lashes on their tips. Once-ler sat up, ignoring the pain in his rear end to stand and walked towards the door that was still left ajar from his running through it the night before. "You coming back?" The kid was propped up resting backwards on his elbows with his head lolling about lethargically. His eyelids were still dropping and his hair stuck up from his head at all angles but boy did he look just right for ravishing.

"I will see you tonight, Ted," The promise had escaped his mouth before he could even attempt to stop it. The kid responded by mouthing the name, Ted, before flopping back onto the bed. Once he was lying again it did not take him long for his breathing to even out. The brunette would have looked right at home in the trufula forest. His light blush accented the light blues in the sky painted over his head and Once-ler could almost see the shadows playing across his maturing features from leaves dancing in the wind. That would be perfect. The Once-ler left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

His content smile got shot and shoved off a cliff leaving only a grimace in its wake when he turned from the door. He now had to go down two flights of stairs to clean up in his bathroom. Today was going to be a real trial. Every stair was a mini battle in the epic war to return to his bedroom. His right knee screamed at every new drop off and his anus added more angry remarks to the mix, like a grumpy old man whose chief purpose is to gripe all day. Each step brought a new wince or scowl to the Once-ler's face but he endured. By the time he finally made it to his bedroom door, he was scoffing and leering at anything that got in his way, and his ragged breaths came in heavy puffs. He entered his room, locking the door immediately, and glowered at the dark heavy wooden door that had denied him entrance just the night before. A light stick made quick work of finding the problem in the door. The moment he peeked through the crack under the heavy wooden slab he knew, it was that towel.

A growl was directed at the green mass behind the door. The Once-ler straightened to find the ruler he knew had to be hidden in his room. The deep green tiles were chill beneath his feet as he moved about the chamber. He could envision that marble coming from the tundra and the veins in it as specific qualities of the icy desert. The darker striations were the dirt that was ever present in most places, with the exception of Thneedsville, and the white ones were ice that was so compacted that it would remain frozen for eternity. Its only good quality was that it made rushing about his room even more of a game because of chill morning air. Another heavy drawer was pulled open to reveal several pairs of underwear with a wooden ruler thrown in between, sticking up out of the fabric like the arm of a sailor cast off of a ship trying to find someone to rescue him from the rolling seas. The Once-ler obliged of course, snatching the wooden survivor out of his hold to bring him back over the the bathroom door for his newest mission.

The ruler slid about under the doorway freely enough. It forced a retreat from the terrorizing towel and brought joy to one man who was now dancing in his bedroom naked. He opened the heavy door and kicked the green abortion before a realization crashed down upon him. That towel, that glorious specimen of toweliness was the cause of all of the most spectacular events that took place the night before. The Once-ler bent down to kiss wonderful devious little creature. He turned to the dummy head that just smirk back at him knowingly. Blue eyes narrowed at a faceless old man and a look with eyebrows drawn like guns and lips twisted like they imprisoned a lemon went unnoticed by the made up head. Once-ler stole away his hat to place it back up onto his head staring back at the dummy and now the towel that had joined forces with the head, with a challenging smirk. He ruled this place, and no one was about to ruin it for him.

~

Ted woke up bleary eyed as usual but with a sense of undeniable triumph. The bathroom light was left on, his boxers were still clinging to the edge of his dresser, and the whole room had a certain smell to it. The smell of sex was definitely evident but another scent had also lingered to cut through the feminine odor of butterfly milk, the smell of his late night visitor.


	9. A Tough Decision

The Once-ler was all made up when Ted made his grand entrance into the kitchen. The kid had an insufferable grin on his face as he made up a plate of pancakes that the Once-ler had left out. The stack was so high it could have teetered off the plate but the older man said not a word. "So how did you sleep, Mr. Once-ler?" The boy chirped happily around a mouth stuffed with syrupy goodness.

Half of the bearded man's face seemed to be drawn up quizzically at the question. He answered in a bland monotone as he returned to his drawing, "The same as always I suppose," He lied.

"Did you enjoy-" The brunette cut off his statement as his nose was assaulted by a horrid smell, "What the hell is that stench?" It smelled like a fire, where normally smoggy emissions were the worst odor endured.

"What, the smoke?" Old man Once-ler questioned sardonically, "Oh a traitor just died this morning." A green gloved hand waved any concern off easily. Ted sported a bewildered expression for the remainder of the meal looking from the mountain of flapjacks to the drawing man and back again, "What has my mind all tied into knots is the mystery of how you are awake before lunchtime," A feint sprinkle of pink spread across Ted's cheeks like a wildfire. Maybe he had imagined this morning and the man from last night was not the same one sitting across from him. Hell, with his luck, the night before may have all been a very intense, realistic, wonderful dream.

"We should talk about last night?" Unease laced his words with doubt that he could not extract. The same blue eyes from earlier this morning twinkled back at him.

Old man Once-ler stroked one moustache peering of to the side, thinking, before blue gray eyes drifted across a sea of white to focus on Ted once more. A friendly smile pulled up the coarse hair on the corners of the Once-ler's mouth. "You talking about how you laughed at the soup I so painstakingly slaved over to serve you, or the fact that you wanted to disgrace my table with the presence of that ugly black thing you insist on wearing on your head?" There, that should be plenty enough to throw the kid off. The Once-ler was pulling his lie off quite nicely if he did say so himself.

"And after dinner?" The kid was reluctant to ask. He knew what the answer would be. The other man he was with was in no way the person before him. His worst fears were confirmed when the older man arched a dark brown quizzically at him. "We went to bed," He finished sharing a nod with the still pleasantly smiling man. Ted stared down at his plate of pancakes dejectedly. They mocked him with their sweet and buttery goodness. They spoke of mornings spent sipping coffee and munching down on their delicious brethren, while gazing over to an unattainable idol across the worn table. On those other mornings, the pancakes would still be hot and fresh, flipped skillfully by his imaginary lover who had somehow acquired a frilly blue apron. That vision was wholly imaginary, though, despite the greatest efforts of Ted's will.

Ted could not take the constant nagging in his head that he had fabricated the best night of his life. He had to escape. The Once-ler was just sitting around scribbling on a note pad but it was all just too much. Those gorgeous blue gray eyes had none of longing that they held in the bedroom. Ted just had to escape the sadistic mirth that had begun to roost within his mind. "I'm gonna go work on that window of yours," His body bolted out of the chair and fled the the kitchen jerkily before words could find their way out of the Once-ler's gaping mouth.

Ted stopped at the final step to look back upstairs towards the Once-ler. He could not see him through the walls but he knew that the old man would still be sitting in that chair, still sipping at his tea and drawing whatever weird farm thing had taken up his mind this morning. Ted was only right about most of his assumptions. The Once-ler was still sitting, sipping steaming tea, and drawing but he was not drawing anything that could be found on a farm. His new sketches were more interesting than chickens or cows. His real muse was an ecstasy driven brunette captured in the throes of passion. There was no question in that top hatted head which drawings he preferred.

Ted spent the whole day fitting a new pane into the windowsill and sanding it down to size. He lost himself in dark thoughts about being tortured by memories of a man that he would never truly have. The kid did not even join the Once-ler back in the kitchen until much later at night. The boy bypassed the kitchen with barely a glance to continue on to his room and take a shower. His legs were sore again today because of standing still for so long and his body craved some sort of sustenance but he denied it for sleep. It was his only hope to see his mystery lover, the man who had haunted his thoughts the whole day through. His face, body, smell, but mostly those eyes remained engraved in his every thought. He had even tried to replace the new obsession with his old one for Audrey, but his memories of her were pale in comparison for this other man. He was gorgeous, Ted new that before he even met him. But when he scurried into Ted's life and then just as quickly vanished, he left an impression on the boy. Ted's mind was an artist's tracing table with the dark haired man's image imprinted on it in the most permanent way possible, and all other thoughts that stacked up on that table were made of fine tracing paper. No matter what he threw onto the table and how many, he could never obscure his real desire. Audrey had once been a filmy plastic sheet pulled over his eyes that blurred the rest of the world. But now, the cellophane had been torn from his face and when it was placed on the glowing tabletop of Ted's mind, it almost disappeared entirely. He slipped from consciousness praying that his mysterious lover would come again. He had told Ted he would, hadn't he?

The Once-ler stored away all of the extra pasta he had cooked, which was a lot because the kid had eaten none of it. He had cranked out some imported ingredients to wow the boy with his culinary expertise. There were crescent shaped pink things mixed in the creamily sauced pasta swirls. They were some sort of crustacean from the estuaries to the west. Their somewhat rubbery texture and deliciously salty sweet taste went perfectly in the Italian dish. After packaging up his new creation for the day the Once-ler slunk back downstairs to his room. The rich dark room seemed so much lonelier than it had in the past days.

Ted had barely spoken to him today and he knew exactly why. He had lied to his new… his new… what? Ted could not quite be described as a friend. Once-ler had only ever had one thing that had ever come even remotely close to one of those before, the Lorax. That relationship ended in disaster because of his own faults. Then what was the kid? A lover, did you have sleep with someone more than once to be their lover? He surely could be nothing more than either of those: a friend with benefits or a booty call. That was it.

He tossed the top hat down onto his bed and began to practically rip his suit from his body. Should he see the kid again tonight? He had promised, but he knew that if he went through with another night like the one before that he would never want to let go of Ted again. The kid was already growing on him enough without having his world rocked on a nightly basis by the energetic brunette. What if he did go over again? Would he keep up this charade until the kid finished his window? All it really needed now was a sealant. The young man would be leaving soon and he would probably just forget all about the guy he screwed while staying at the Once-ler's house. What if he confessed his true identity to the kid? No, bad idea. Ted would probably think that screwing such an old man was disgusting, no matter what he looked like. He seemed to know who he was in the morning but he looked so uncomfortable at the kitchen table. If he never shows up again tonight then the kid will not have to worry about letting him down easy when he returns to his normal life in Thneedsville. He would not go, one more broken promise could not screw his life up too much more. The fake facial hair was tossed into the bathroom without a care. The Once-ler put on some sleep pants. This pair matched his favorite pair of boxers, white with red hearts. His taste had not changed that much since he was a kid. He climbed into bed and tried to will himself to sleep.

His breathing evened out but still no sleep, something seemed wrong. Blue eyes snapped open once more and he walked over to his bedroom door. The lights were still on. He flipped them off and opened the door. Which started an internal monologue accompanied by him walking back and forth from his bed to his door, 'One more night with the kid could not hurt. He will not be around much longer, so no harm done. No, what am I thinking? I cannot possibly take advantage like that. But I really like Ted. Ted would not want me, though; he just wants a fuck buddy since he is stuck at my home for a few days. Then shouldn't I give him what he wants? No, I would not want to give him up after. But- No!" The Once-ler stopped his pacing and leapt into the bed to throw the covers over his fluffy black hair. This was going to be a long night, no matter what he decided.


	10. The loss of a true friend

Wide blue-gray eyes stared into pitch black. They had for hours now, barely blinking. Everything on the outside was calm in the bedroom done up in greens, blues, and blacks. What was happening behind those unwavering eyes was a different story. The Once-ler had not slept for hours. He had broken another promise, but this time he knew that it was the right thing to do. The kid deserved better than being stuck out here with him, and if the kid did leave, he would take the Once-ler's heart with him. That was, if he accepted what the Once-ler was. The Once-ler had lied to the kid, deceived him. There was no reason for the kid to start a relationship with him. It was just a onetime thing or a short fling, at most. There was no reason for the boy to even like him. The kid was attractive with developed muscles that were not over the top. He had gorgeously expressive brown eyes that would shine green in the right lighting. His smile had a way of just leaving the older man breathless. He was a perfect specimen of an attractive young man.

Thin legs swung over the side of the bed. The Once-ler still had lingering pains in his lower back but they were more of a dull aching reminder of a great night than an annoyance. He rubbed his eyes and strode into his bathroom to start his normal routine. On went his fake persona and whatever hope had been in his cloudy blue-grey eyes left him. His face seemed to sag today. Maybe he was really aging again. A man can hope right?

He left the protection of his quarters to venture upstairs, both excited and dreading seeing his houseguest. What was there shocked him though. On his kitchen table was a fist sized, dirty, grey rock with one word carved into it. Unless. He sat across from it. He let hours more pass just sitting at the kitchen table waiting. He could not possibly stomach food. He did not even want to drink tea. His belly did summersaults at the mere thought of edible substances. Everything in the room seemed to be slowly swarming closer to him. The walls were closing in, the ceiling dropping. Eight hours he waited at the table and still nothing. It was two hours into the evening now and the kid had still not come down from his room. He rose swiftly, knocking the chair he was sitting in down in the process and rushed to climb the stairs. He could not have, could he?

He threw the door open as he came to it and rushed into the room almost falling when he quickly stopped himself. A brown covered head rose to regard the intruder then fell back onto a pillow when it decided he was not worth the energy. The kid looked horrible, like he had not slept a bit last night either. He was wearing bed crumpled clothes. His hair was sticking out in every direction but it looked like he had been running his fingers through it during the night. Under his chestnut hued eyes were developing circles of purplish black. His limbs were drawn tightly towards his chest and now that his head was back on the bed, it was nudging its way closer to the gathering. He looked broken.

The Once-ler could not bear this sight, "Kid-?" What question could he possibly ask? What happened? Are you okay? He knew the answer to both of those. Or he at least thought he did. The kid was upset that he was stood up and he obviously was not okay. The once-ler cleared the lump that was forming in his throat away before trying again, "Do you want something to eat?" What a stupid question! Why would he say that, but there it was, out in the open.

"You murdered my friend," Was Ted's quiet response. His friend, what friend? The Once-ler was drawing blanks. Was he talking about the trees?

"What?" He could not even begin to understand this situation.

The kid sat up with his arms wrapped around his knees. His dark eyes searched solemnly for something before a weak smile barely touched his mouth. "The traitor, a towel? Really?" A small breath of a laugh fell from the soft lips of the teenager. His eyes closed gracefully with a feint glimmer of welled up tears between dainty lashes.

The Once-ler was really at a loss for words. Ted could not possibly be this upset over a towel. "I have other towels, T-kid." He almost slipped and spoke the boy's name and a small dip of the eyelashes told him that Ted noticed. "So, do want any food? I can tell you are sick so I will not make you work today. Do mental illnesses still count as sick?" He grinned, making his fluffy moustaches spread their full wings.

Ted chuckled and hit the older man with the pillow his head had been resting on. The Once-ler's hand sprang up to make sure that neither his hat nor his wig came off. "I am not hungry. Thank you Mr. Once-ler." The kid's voice belied resigned undertones. It was coated thick with a quality that spoke of rejection. The Once-ler knew that feeling all too well. Was this kid like him? Had he been scorned by his family too? Did he have friends? Maybe Ted was not as popular as the Once-ler had imagined. The Once-ler put an arm around the hunched young man, just something to show that he cared. To him, that small gesture seemed so much more intimate then the sex they had. The kid leaned into his chest. Every now and then Ted would sniffle a bit but the two did not speak. The Once-ler wanted to be there for the kid, he did not feel he had to, he wanted to. Ted just wanted to be held. A strange feeling tugged at the back of his head but he quelled it to enjoy the presence of the elderly man.

The two boys let the moment stretch on for an hour before Ted finally broke the silence, "I would really like some of that tea you keep making me drink. And I think. I think I want to go back to bed." His eyes looked hopefully at the Once-ler's. The Once-ler nodded once slowly to the boy and rose to fulfill his orders. Back in the kitchen was that rock. It spoke volumes with just that one word. Unless. Unless what? The Once-ler did not know.

He turned his back on it to start the tea. There had to be something he could do for the kid. He did not know what to do but he did know that he would fix this. He wanted to be with the kid, wanted to see him smile again. He would see him smile again, whether or not the kid wanted it. By the time the copper tea kettle began shrilly screaming, he had come up with a plan. He would see that the kid was happy. He just had to. Seeing Ted like this was something he never wanted to do again. It was the Once-ler's new mission to make sure that Ted never felt like this again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R.I.P. It was not apparent enough in previous chapters that my favorite, cough cough, little devious mind in this story had passed away. Ted and I mourn this loss. Remember Towel died to give us all smut. You should show your respect.


	11. Finding things that could be used

Ted was true to his word and fell asleep after being given a hot mug of tea. The sleep was shallow and did not last long, haunted by memories of his mystery lover. He remained in bed for the rest of the day, eating left over soup and pasta when it was brought up to him and shooing the older man away when he lingered upstairs. His countenance improved as he ate and slept. Dark circles disappeared and were replaced by lively gesticulation when the kid spoke.

The disappointment in not spending much time with the kid was shrugged off by the Once-ler, he had a new project for the first time in ages. This endeavor would work, spawning nothing but good, he knew. He was down in the basement now. Collecting the items he knew he would need to complete his foreign task. He had seen something of his idea's kind just once before. A gorgeous coquette thought it would earn her a few extra bucks when he was still on top of the world. Carefully selected items made a careful pile off to the side. Nothing was dusty like he expected, the wooden crate he had stored the items in must have protected them. They were keepsakes from the far past, a time when he was a very different person. One with hopes. One who knew where he wanted to go. The person he once was had a future. Where had all that gone? He ignored a familiar batch of colors as it moved in the far reaches of his vision. He knew that every time he attempted to catch the teasing mirage, it would be gone. Instead of worrying about it, he continued about his own business. The orange mass of fur would eventually complete his task and leave just as quickly as he came.

A hefty weight settled within the tall man's heart, weighing down the beating organ so it dropped deeper into its cavity to press all of the organs beneath it into a constant state of unease that throbbed with every pulse sent through his body. He had hurt two people he cared about with broken promises. It was not about the disappointment the individuals felt for him. He was used to that feeling. His mother had instilled it within him at birth and it was only magnified as he grew. Average disappointment was something he was very accustomed to. The Lorax and the kid's disappointment was different though. They actually expected him to do something. They thought that he could keep his word. They believed in him when it was so obviously unwarranted. He actually let them down. He collected all of their hopes for him and cast them away carelessly at the first test of his honor. The fact that they felt he could keep his word and was worthy of their trust was scathing. Because of his own short comings, he had lost everything he ever held dear.

He still had vast amounts of wealth but what would he possibly want to use it for? All of the money in the world could not fix his mistakes. The only thing that had a chance of righting the world was much more valuable than riches. He knew what might help but it would take time and most of all effort. Hard work was the most important thing he could give to his self-made problems. The one thing he could throw at them relentlessly that may have a hope. He would not just give up this time. There had to be an end. The Lorax had left behind the word "Unless", that had to mean that there was a chance. Unless something. Once-ler vowed to himself to discover what that something was. The desecrated forest had waited so long already, a little longer could not possibly do too much more damage. Ted was his current conundrum. Unless he did something, the kid would continue to hurt and he would lose Ted forever. Unless he did what though? Once-ler had no clue to what the answer of that question was, but he knew that he would try anything to find out. He had travelled insurmountable distances to make his thneed. To create something he thought he needed that would only cause the world more hurt. Now that there was something he knew he needed, he was sure that he had the necessary strength to see this cause through to the end. He would find the unless, and he would do anything to mend what he had broken.

Once-ler straightened to his full height. His wiry form towered over dusty crates, boxes and drums. A throat cleared in a familiar mossy voice to get his attention. Nothing to cause it was there when the Once-ler turned, of course. Once-ler knew that the noise not brought into existence so that he could see what made it. The utterance was sounded to draw his attention to something else. Something that a onetime friend of the Once-ler thought he might need. A familiar worn brown case sat atop a crate. Its peculiar shape more than hinted at its contents. That shape was unique to one kind of item that the Once-ler had become acquainted with long ago. The case had not changed a bit since it was stored away down here but it was topped off by something that the man had not seen in just as much time as the case itself. On top of the second hand old case was a familiar grey shape banded with black. The apparition knew what he was doing. He was helping his friend pick up all of the broken pieces. The pile was moved from the dusty cavern to inhabit the cleaner house above ground along with the items someone had taken the time to bring attention to.

It felt right carrying that case in his arms again. Maybe this was not the unless he was looking for but it was a start. He was determined to start, no matter where that beginning was, he had to start. This was his start. A determined fix took over his jaw and he narrowed his eyes to scrutinize the world he had built up around himself. He knew that nothing would change unless he did it himself, Maybe that was the unless he was looking for.


	12. Chapter 12

Blue-gray eyes regarded themselves critically in the mirror in the way that people do when they are about to do something they think is important and do not feel like they measure up quite enough. The unease on his face made his round eyes seem that much larger. What had possessed him to decide to do this anyway? The babyish face before him puffed out its cheeks with eyebrows drawn down and lips hiding by pressing together firmly. Once-ler only wished that he could hide like they were. Just press in on himself until he disappeared completely. There was still plenty of time for him to back out of this but he knew that he was unable to. He patted his black hair that was smoothed down familiarly in its childhood style. It was as good as it possibly could get, he knew, but it never seemed like enough to him.

He almost wished he was like those sluts that caked their faces with paints and powders until they no longer so much as resembled their true forms. He would hate himself if he was anything like them though. They always clambered to the most successful man, hoping to be Mrs. Next Best Thing. At least when some of them were finished making themselves up, they turned out to be something a bit more attractive than the thing standing before the mirror. Once-ler could have chosen more flattering clothes but these just felt more fitting. He wore these when he used to keep promises. They were ratty and worn compared to his now usual attire but their less fine fabric felt more comfortable. The cotton shirt he wore under his wool vest felt coarser than the pricey undershirts that he had taken to wearing as his company grew. Mostly denim patchwork pants covered his long legs down to his sturdy grey shoes. The pants, like the rest of the clothes he was wearing, had been what he once wore on his family's farm. They were hand-me-downs that had to be altered quite a bit to fit his lanky form. His mother had just wanted to cut the legs of one pair of blue jeans off and sew them to the bottoms of another. Once-ler would not stand for that though. It just looked far too awkward. So being the creative genius he thought he was in his youth, he cut up the legs of both pants and sewed them back together to make a horizontal striped pattern across his legs.

The Once-ler still thought that the pants were just as stellar as he had as a child. Whoever had owned either pair of jeans originally had worn the blue in them away nearly all the way. The stains they retained along with their sun lightened quality had made one pair an almost steely grey and the other a dirty feathery grey color. He knew deep down that the now only slightly tinted blue color was partially his fault but the pants were already more grey than blue before he began cutting them up. He used to be so proud of these pants but years of mocking by his family had destroyed that pride. Now he found himself craving that they were something more, that they made him more appealing. He knew, absently, that staring at his reflection longing for it to be more attractive was not going to change anything. He brought his hands back down from absently pulling at his vest. It always seemed so awkward to him, having that expanse of shirt exposed between his vest and pants. He liked how his newer coat fit so much more but this was the outfit he had to wear. Ted would notice who he was if he wore anything else.

He stopped appraising his looks, resolved that there was nothing more to be done about them. Once-ler looked how he did and that was that. His gray fedora flopped onto his head feeling like a conversation with an easy old friend. Nothing felt forced between hat and person, which just reinforced whatever confidence the Once-ler had built up. He could do this. Ted would be his. He had to do this. On the way out of his rooms, he picked up his old guitar case and felt absently at his smooth childlike face. 'I hope the kid does not think this is too dorky' He thought dejectedly. He had practiced several different skills in his extra time today. Hopefully, all of his hard work would pay off.

Stairs were passed slowly. Anything that could prolong the time before the Once-ler's performance was welcomed. It had been decades since he last played this guitar but it felt right. Playing it earlier in the day reminded him of that first kiss he had shared with Ted. There was none of the awkwardness caused by two entities that are uncomfortable with one another. No, both instances held a relaxed intimacy. They both felt right, like the Once-ler had done them each a thousand times before, but with the excitement of something totally new. Just holding the case brought on a warm tingling in Once-ler's chest.

He passed the stone still sitting on his kitchen table, acknowledging it with a passing nod. 'Unless' It whispered back at him with a voice that was nowhere to be found. His stomach tied itself into knots as the Once-ler began trudging up the next flight of stairs. The knots were writhing like a pile of worms in a bait can. They moved all at once, in different directions, constantly keeping him in his uneasy state. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the door, nothing more to do than open it at this point. The wooden barrier came away with a slight, high pitched, creak. The boy lying, tangled in the brown bed sheets, did not stir though. Blue-gray eyes were half lidded with a small loving smile as he examined the sleeping form. He could just stare at the other man forever, but he knew there was something more important that he had to do. The case was placed quietly on shaggy green carpet and opened so that a greyish brown enameled instrument could be carefully extracted. A brown strap was set onto the Once-ler's thin shoulders as long fingers found their way to an exposed dingy bone colored belly. This guitar was not as well kept as his more expensive one but the notes that could flow out of it were just as true. He nudged the case into a corner with a grey shoe before straightening to his full height.

A tiny shy smile took over his face when his fingers began strumming away. Cords were played with a constant beat true to the song he had in mind, slightly changing octave with the lively melody. The kid shifted to look at the man producing soft sounds of a well-played guitar. He was now levered up on elbows to watch his lover's serenade.

The Once-ler's prelude of surely strummed chords melted away into softly sung words in his strong singing voice.

"I might have to wait, I'll never give up,  
I guess it's half timin' and the other half's luck.  
Wherever you are, whenever it's right,  
You'll come outta nowhere and into my life.

And I know that we can be so amazin'.  
And baby your love is gonna change me.  
And now I can see every possibility.

Mmm.

Somehow I know that it'll all turn out,  
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out.  
And promise you kid, I'll give so much more than I get, mmm  
I just haven't met you yet.

They say all's fair in love and war.  
But I won't need to fight it,  
We'll get it right and, we'll be united!

And I know that we can be so amazin'.  
And bein' in your life is gonna change me.  
And now I can see every single possibility.

Mmm.

And someday I know it'll all turn out,  
And I'll work to work it out.  
Promise you kid, I'll give more than I get, than I get, than I get, than I get!

Oh you know it'll all turn out,  
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out,  
And promise you kid to give so much more than I get, yeah.  
I just haven't met you yet!

I just haven't met you yet.  
Oh promise you kid, to give so much more than I get.  
I just haven't met you yet.

I just haven't met you yet!"

The kid was quiet through the whole performance but Once-ler did not mind. He was at home with the guitar in his hands and the song came out better than he could have hoped. His voice was sure and never wavered. It was better than even his practice sessions this afternoon. His only wish was that he could remember the beginning to the song. It did not matter now. The serenade was over and Ted had still not moved from his spot with round shocked eyes taking up so much of his face. The old stringed instrument was placed in a corner carefully before Once-ler decided to commence his little plan. He now had reservations. The kid did not react in anyway at all. This whole day may be for naught, but there was no turning back now.


	13. Where song and dance can inevitably lead.

MMM (Yeah most everything is not appropriate for the chillin's)

A soft swaying began to rock the black haired man's hips as he blushed under Ted's scrutiny. Ted could not believe that he had returned. Was his mind just playing cruel jokes on him? That question held no substance in his mind now. The now supple gyrating dance taking place before him was real enough. The blue eyed man was dressed this time. He had just finished singing a sort of sappy old song and now his whole body was possessed by that nervous swaying. It seemed like the man could hear a feint song that his companion was not privy to. Despite the unsurenesss of the other man's actions, Ted found the spectacle very alluring.

His clothes were a perfect replica of the ones from the pictures Ted had seen just three days before. Unlike the picture, though, this incredibly attractive figure before him was real. He was moving. And most of all, he was stripping, for Ted. The slender fingers of a musician swept up from the thighs of long legs and over slender hips and a taut stomach to a grey woolen vest. The fingers themselves were dancing along to the same silent tune as the rest of the body. They played on buttons the same way another's might play along a piano's keys. Shoulders began dance along with their own circular pattern forcing hips to jerk in a racier dance. The willowy fingers pushed plastic rounds out of their holes on the vest. The garment began to sag away from the shirted chest, begging to be off. Hands felt over the vested chest before they complied to the vests wishes by slipping the final button out of its home. The black haired man gripped a side of the vest in each hand and slipped the grey cloth to catch on his elbows. Lanky legs bent as hips sensually dipped down to exaggeratedly sweep to both sides before returning to their prior swaying as the vest was cast off to the side. The now fully exposed shirt seemed far too big on the thin body it covered for Ted's liking. It should cling to those muscles instead of hiding them with its draping folds.

A sexy smirk bared the top row of the black haired god's teeth as his bottom lip was taken prisoner between them. Pink fog had settled deeply beneath the surface of the dancing man's cheeks. Blue eyes sparkled mischievously now that they knew Ted's own brown orbs were trained on the body before them.

The hands were back to their playful groping of their own body. They pulled up and slid under the loose shirt to feel the burning flesh beneath. The further they hid themselves away from Ted's gaze, the more they exposed that tight pale belly. The shirt dropped down as they escaped the white cocoon. Ted felt a stinging pain in his lips, only to notice he was biting them in the anticipation. 'Dammit! That body should be illegal.' His thoughts were kept brief because once again the shirt was creeping up the pale stomach, straining with the clenching and unclenching the body's dance called for. Muscles rippling to the tune of the unsung song were revealed as the shirt was pulled over a head by its shoulders. The white fabric was thrown away but Ted did not notice. The moving body before him was mesmerizing. The way the hips jerked and swayed interchangeably had his breath coming with more difficulty. The dark bed sheets resting on his body were unnaturally hot but he could not bring himself to change a single aspect of this moment. Slender but firm muscles ground out the dancing moves as the black haired man's hands explored milky plains that Ted's own hands itched to touch.

Blue eyes were closed now. The venturing hands were tracing a treasure trail that was just barely there. They came back up to dip into a now exposed naval. The black haired man's pink tongue whipped out to graze partially parted lips before disappearing from whence it came. After violating the small hole liberally, the fingers wandered back down the happy trail to trace the seam of the grey striped pants that hid long legs and a perfect collection of goodies that Ted could not wait to get his hands on.

Shoes were kicked off unceremoniously. Lithe fingers fiddled with the button Ted's eyes were trying to melt away through sheer force of will. The metal round was popped through the hole in the denim so quickly that it made the slow journey of the zipper downward that much longer. Ted agonized though every second of it, never taking his eyes off of what those dastardly hands were doing. The denim parted too slowly it seemed. It was dragged off of barely rocking hips to fall down slender legs. Exposed, a pair of red hearted white boxers shook with renewed vigor to the nonexistent beat of the dancer.

The dancing man dipped down sensually to his hands and knees, making Ted sit up more from his position. The thinly built man was on all fours crawling up onto the bed and towards him like a predatory feline. His smirk and shining blue eyes screamed that the man was ready to pounce on his prey and Ted could not have been more ready to be seized by the stalking man. The black haired man's shoulders moved smoothly beneath his skin as he crept up the bed towards his lover.

A shaky breath left Ted when the other man had finally reached his level. Blue eyes spoke of apprehension and a pink lip was taken between perfect teeth again. The man on top of Ted was struggling with something. Ted took this opportunity to shed the blanket covering his body and reveal a body that was completely bare other with the exception of a tented pair of black silk boxers. Blue eyes trailed down the well-muscled body with a renewed hunger lurking behind them. Ted could not seem to catch his breath with those eyes on him. His mind was racing but crashed to a complete stop when a pair of soft lips found his. Hey were hot and insistent but their passion was shown in soft movements against his own instead of heavy persistence. The man backed away to let out a shaking breath and Ted almost pulled him in for more of those sweet kisses. The man would have none of that though; as Ted's face made its move closer to his own he jerked back causing a frustrated groan to escape the boy's lips. The aggravation did not last long. It was quickly replaced by a surge of pleasure brought on by the man above him rubbing a slim leg against his clothed erection. A loud moan reached his ears but his hazy mind did not even register that it was his own.

The mouth that was the same source of those delicious delicate kisses picked a spot near the base of his neck to lightly brush its lips against once before it bit down hard and a harsh sucking took over. Ted had no idea that his neck could feel so damn good! More moans approaching scream volumes could be heard and this time Ted knew they were his own. Hips ground down harshly into his own and he took it all in as his body shook almost violently from the hot pleasure flooding through his body and seeping into his core. The mouth left his neck to journey further south with more feather light kisses that left solid muscles quaking. The moans had ebbed but his lungs craved the fresh air with that incredible man's scent and stole it away with desperate pants. The mouth found one of his nipples licked around it before beginning a strange suckle that brought about sharp teeth grazing the pink flesh lightly. The tempest struck at the brunette's body with another wave of bliss. His neglected nipple did not remain so for long as a shaking hand trailed to the other side of his chest to pinch it roughly and make him arch with a guttural scream. Breaths now came only in gasps. It was far too hot in this room, under this man.

A beaming smile came to the blue eyed man's face and banished Ted's own face to a world of red shame. The option to dwell on this was not given to him because soft lips began their descent once again, stopping only when they found a hole quivering in the boy's middle. That elusive pink tongue darted out to caress the outer rim of the shallow chasm before plunging into the waiting naval in the most sensual way that Ted had ever encountered. A sharp intake of breath from the brunette made his lover jump with a quick glance up at the boy. Blue locked with brown in a look that showed both men that the other was just as nervous about this as they were.

The Once-ler took in the appearance of the body beneath him. It could have been sculpted for the act of sex itself. Before the boy was sure and aggressive but now he was apprehensive, letting Once-ler take the lead. Once-ler's eyes skipped down the form heaving with the effort to breath. Muscles were tense and bulged in all the right places. The body now had a slight sheen to it, making the tanned form highlighted in the lit room. An abused belly button shined with a liberal coating of saliva. He brought his head back down to its mission and opened his watery mouth to take in Ted's clothed erection. A scream ripped through the room at the light pressure applied. Ted certainly was a vocal one, now wasn't he? He let his teeth barely slide over the clothed cock as he bought his head back up and the boy let out another well voiced moan.

Ted could not handle this sexual torture. Nothing in life could have ever prepared him for the sensations the other man was providing him with. Was that sharp ring of pressure caused by teeth? Holy shit! He tried again to calm his breathing. His pounding heart had a mind of its own and there was no way to remedy its persistent drubbing. The band of his boxers was slowly lowered and wide blue eyes stared blatantly at what was yet to be uncovered. When the undergarments were finally past his hips, an engorged member leapt out of them into the chill of exposed air with surprising vigor. That pink tongue sprang out again to lick soft lips before flicking over the tip of the throbbing dick. A delighted smile took over his face making blue eyes brighten when it lurched at the small amount of contact. A long arm reached up Ted's body extending three narrow fingers towards the kid's face. Ted took the gesture and brought the waiting digits into his mouth for some good old fashioned sucking. He had to resist biting the fingers off when a hot mouth enveloped his dick. That delicate sinful mouth brought his pleasure to all new heights and he tried to focus on coating the fingers in as much spit as possible. A tongue massaged the bottom vein as the black haired head bobbed slowly. The hand not in Ted's mouth tweaked a nipple harshly causing him to scream again and release the digits in the process.

The wet hand left Ted's face as he panted out, "You know if you wanted me to spit them out, you could have just aaasked," The last word was strained as a long finger thrust into his bottom. The other man just hummed in response with the hard piece of flesh in his mouth making the boy moan again. "Where the hell did you learn to do this?" A chuckle caused more vibration around his throbbing penis. The finger in his hole arched into his prostate, making a scream erupt from his flaming face. Searing pleasure coursed through his body with every throb of his nether regions. Whatever pain had existed in his ass was completely erased by the now multiplied fingers trusting into his prostate and the mouth that had picked up its pace and was now almost equaling the harsh sucks that had been inflicted to the kid's neck.

The other man left him empty and exposed all at once. His panting breath ghosted over the aching erection for the briefest of moments before blue eyes were level with Ted's again. Another tender kiss was shared between the two as the black haired man slipped into the other causing a shot of pain to jolt his mind. "M-move!" The boy gasped out before connecting their lips again.

"Mhm," Was the answer mumbled into his lips as the black haired man began to thrust into him angling his hips to strike the small bundle of nerves every time. The pink tongue, that had inflicted so much heavenly torture that night, breached lips once again to plunge tentatively into the other boy's mouth. The kisses began to mimic the leisurely pace rocking hips provided. Ted buried fingers into midnight hair in hopes to hold onto this just a little bit longer. All of that torture had ruined any stamina he might have had and the waves of pleasure had reached tsunami proportions long ago. Shaky breaths were taken through his nose as his body trembled. Increasing moans rumbled through both mouths from the depths of his chest. The pace began to incline. The black haired man pinched one of his already well abused nipples to elicit a sharp cry from the brunette. His back arched and his hips began to jerk uncontrollably as the other man tried to suck his release right out of his neck from the spot which had already endured so much abuse. His screams elevated with just name in his mind, "ONCE-LER!" With that one word, he found an ocean of white bliss fill his being. It spread through his limbs and new waves were brought into existence emanating from the still thrusting hips of the other man. He could see and hear nothing in his orgasmic state, but as it slowly left with lingering traces of ecstasy he could hear the wanton groans of the man above him.

Ted pushed the black haired man off almost violently, shoving him down to the bed and quickly bring his mouth down to straining dick. He slicked off anything that may have stayed on the penis with his hand before engulfing the deep red organ to the base in his mouth. Harsh sucking and deep throated gulps had the black haired man thrashing in no time. He began to hum the tune that the other man had played on his guitar and roughly pinched nipples making him moan thickly. An arch made its way through the black haired man's body and remained as shivers took over the thin frame. Ted let up a bit for a few bobs before deep throating again and sucking severely. This was the trigger that made hot cum shoot into the boy's mouth. He swallowed any spillage up greedily. Bucking hips made him gag a bit but soon the body beneath him was still. The man breathing deeply was struggling to keep blue eyes on his lover. Ted smiled at the man whose lips could barely quirk up at all from the sheer exhaustion of the act.

MMM

The brunette pushed his body up off of the bed to bring his face back up to the other man's. He pressed his mouth to the other's in a sweet kiss that he did not even know he was capable of before tonight. When the two separated, blue eyes were already hidden behind their lids, shut up for the night, and once ragged breathing had slowed into a soft rasp of sleep.

Ted smiled at the sleeping form, whispering the only words that were true enough for this moment, "I love you," He got up out of the bed and pulled his lover's boxers on because they were much cleaner than his own. He would only be away for a short while anyway. With one last glance at the other man, he left the room and headed downstairs. Stairs came much more easily than he had expected as he travelled downward toward the room he desired. The dark wooden door opened easily despite its weight. He felt giddy as his eyes roamed over an empty bed. He strode into the bathroom smiling at the shoulder less head that held all of the Once-ler's dirty little secrets. It was an expected thing, but not what the boy was looking for. So he plopped the top hat onto his head and continued his search for the other man's dirty clothes hamper.

Once he found it, he searched pants until he discovered his prize. He cradled the small piece of metal before quickly fleeing the Once-ler's rooms and continuing his trek down stairs. There were still a few things he had to know, and the excitement coursing through his body provided enough endorphins to fuel his search.


	14. A search for truth

The room was just as dusty as the last time Ted had wandered down there. There was evidence that someone else had ventured down there with footprints showing up in the grime and crates moved and pried open. Ted went to those first just because curiosity won him over. He peeked into the wooden boxes cautiously before opening them completely. Inside were old clothes and one big bag that just said tent in faded letters. Inside of the other recently opened boxes were all sorts of camping supplies and a surplus of marshmallows. What need could one man possibly have for so many marshmallows? Whatever it was, it made Ted want to be with him even more. Dented metal pots and pans were discarded as quickly as they came into contact with the boy's hands. Old glass jars were blacked out with paint so that the contents could not be determined. Ted wanted to open one but the tops were all rusted on and he would feel bad about breaking the old jars. The Once-ler had to have some reason to store them in such a way. Sheets and more clothes were barely folded. The Once-ler was such a stickler for cleanliness upstairs but within these boxes there was the chaos of someone fleeing. Things were just thrown above each other carelessly in any way to get them all in. Ted shivered at the thought of what the older man could have possibly been running from. Could it possibly be whatever had kept him so young throughout the years? Ted could not even imagine. Maybe this was not the same man he met nearly a decade past. Maybe the Once-ler Grammy had known had passed on and this was his kin or something. A thousand questions buzzed in a brown haired head but no answers could be found. The man he had been with just minutes before could not possibly be the man his gammy knew. He was far too young. There was no possible way for it to even be possible and yet Ted could not shake the feeling that it somehow was. This was not some sappy love story where the leading lady fell in love with a vampire or some sort of handsome prince cursed for his misdeeds. This was reality. The two men could not possibly be the same. Why would his Once-ler dress like an older man though? It just did not make sense. When his lover finally woke up to speak to him again, Ted would certainly have quite a lot of questions for the man. The brunette closed up the cases his lover had already ransacked and moved onto his real prize.

The same box he had plundered just days ago still ordered him to stay out of it but he obeyed it as much as he had the first time around. The dingy lid came off to expose the collection of pictures again. An orange bean shaped creature's drawing was sitting right on top just like the last time. It seemed so bizarre with its yellow fluffy moustache spread across its face. Had the Once-ler he loved drawn this or the other one? It did not matter he supposed. He began scrutinizing every image before turning them over to see what caption may have been written on the other side of each. The drawing of the round straggly armed creature just had "Moustache" written on its back side. The pictures of the colorful forest had a plethora of comments scrawled on them in the same contained handwriting. "My new home," was all one said. "The tufts of the trufula trees are perfect for my thneeds. If only someone would let me cut down more. So many colors to choose from. Maybe a multicolored thneed is called for," read the next one. The third had nothing on its back but forth just had one word, "Home,"

Ones with creatures had names scribbled on the backs. One had a bar-ba-loot, affectionately called Pipsqueak, with a marshmallow smile that brought out a softer copy of the expression on the boy's face, sans the sweets of course. The description stated that the furry mess had been caught in the photographer's secret stash again. Ted cast that one aside to regard one of 'a chorus of humming fish'. The orange fish certainly did seem to be singing but Ted could not imagine fish forming a quartet. The idea was just too strange to him. The next photo was the one of the Once-ler and Pipsqueak by the river. Blue eyes hidden behind lids and all. Ted resisted pocketing the photograph as he continued flipping through the pictures. There were so many. A quick drawing of the stream made Ted smile. That one was definitely drawn by his lover's delicate hands. The back said, "Horribly drawn river," in a feminine script that did not match the others. Had there been a woman in the other man's life? There were no pictures of a female in the box. Maybe they were stored away in a different secret stash his lover kept.

Ted was determined to find the identity of the mystery woman even though he dreaded what he was likely to discover. How could she write something so horrible about the hastily drawn river? It was fast but fine. The drawing was quick but it held all of the expertise of a real artist, not someone who had just picked up a pencil to draw one day. There were a large amount of pictures of nothing discernible other than an orange blurred shadow in the image. Was that the image of the other man's past lover? Had the woman just not wanted to sit still long enough to be captured on the filmy paper? Ted dropped the picture back down into the box and slammed the container shut. He sat up against the crate in all of the dusty grime of the basement floor. The boxers were the Once-ler's anyways. He pulled his legs close to his body as he pondered the new information. His lover had been with some woman before. One that he did not display pictures of in his house. Would Ted face a fate similar to her own? Would he be cast aside when the other man grew bored of him? Ted refused to lose the man. There was no way the Once-ler was going to get rid of him now. Ted Wiggins was not anyone's plaything and he would make sure the other man knew that. After being cast aside by Audrey, Ted promised that he would never let that happen to him again. He certainly would not now.

Shaky legs straightened, at war with the dull ache in his backside that was now present. It seemed that the pain was coming on fast. The brunette turned off the lights of the unkempt room and made his way all the way back to his room. A hand rested on a dully shining knob in the darkness. There was just one more room in the house that Ted wanted to see. He glanced up the stairs that stretched above the landing he stood on.

Old boards creaked under his weight quietly but to him they sounded like sirens. The next floor was where he had originally met the man who lived in this house. Was that where the other man kept the pictures of his past lover? Floor boards screamed out in the silent house and Ted silently prayed that they fell on deaf ears. He must have been torturing the poor steps with his weight by the way they wailed. Finally the boy had reached the door he sought. It was painted coal black in a way that looked still brand new. Ted turned the silver knob to enter another world of green, black, and silver. Nothing true could be said of this room to make it sound plain at all. The whole place was lavish to its core. Ted felt uncomfortable in it because of its unspoken stature. This Once-ler had been rich; there was no question about it now. 'Was he a famous artist?' The thought bounced around the boy's head playfully but Ted had a feeling that was not the case. There was no studio to be found in the old building. There was hardly any artwork strewn about the walls anywhere.

Ted walked on the black floorboards, almost worried that his bare feet might do something to mar their perfection. His light steps brought him to stand before an enormous black wooden desk that was generously inlaid with silver. He felt small before the towering chair behind it though there was no one in it to judge his poor appearance and circumstance. The chair looked plushed in the places where one would sit, with rich green silk stretched over bubbles of fluff, but the whole piece was extravagant. It was almost taller than the Once-ler while he was standing at his full height and every inch of its wooden frame had a silver design carved into it. A container of pencils and a single frame graced the surface of the massive desk. Ted brought a trembling hand to the silver frame to lift it reverently. When the frame was turned, Ted's heart sank down to his stomach. The Once-ler had had a family once.

The image in the expensive frame was one of a severe woman holding an infant. She was not striking in any way but the raven colored hair on the child's head said the she was the Once-ler's. Unable to bear staring at her face any longer, Ted placed the frame back into its place on the immense desk. The rest of the room had tall black wooden paneling on the green painted walls. There were shelves with silver statues displayed all over them. One was of the creature drawn orange and yellow in the picture from the box in the basement. Ted traced the displeased face of the creature frozen in silver. What could this possibly be that his lover so revered to have it depicted so much in works of art in his house? Maybe the man he was with was the child in the picture, and his father was the man who had loved the almost frightening appearing woman. Ted consoled his aching heart with that thought. The rationalization was not doing much to quell the ache in his chest. Ted stepped away from the display of pricey sculptures.

They were so affluently chosen. How could someone with such exclusive taste want Ted for long at all? Ted looked at one shelf with a forest of silver trufula trees spread across it. They were all different shapes and sizes just like ted had imagined. They were almost nothing like the trufoolas which were all very orderly, straight, all the same height. There was no order at all between the metal figurines. They were just how a forest ought to be. The silver pieces that surrounded the mustached figure were creatures from the pictures downstairs. One resembled the bar-ba-loot, Pipsqueak, perfectly. A few castings of other bears were present among swomee swans and humming fish. They were all kept in incredible condition, not a speck of tarnish had touched a single one.

Ted looked over to the widow where he had first seen the Once-ler. There was another expensive chair there. It had the same sort of silk cushion to it but this one had the permanent impression of the bony body that had sat in it far too much. The black wood had lost its gloss on the arm rests from extended use. This chair was profligate just like the other behind the desk, the only difference between the two was height. The other was meant to instill fear, while the one now in front of the boarded up window was there just to hold someone while they were left to their insecure feelings. The shutters on the window were a drastic contrast to the rest of the room. They had fallen into a horrible state of disrepair. Ted wondered how they even remained in one piece. A grey brown color made up most of the planks, coated with the green dusting of something growing on them. Ted wondered if the mold could be harmful to his lover idly as he left the room.

Before long, Ted was back in his own room. The soft sound of the other man sleeping calmed his nerves. There was no way he would lose this. Black hair was left disarrayed but looked more like a pile of fluffy feathers resting on the Once-ler's head than anything else. A slight tinge of pink was still evident on the sleeping man's face. His body was slightly curled into the direction where it thought Ted would sleep. Ted had to smile at him. He was just so adorable like that. Ted crept towards the bed and slipped between the sheets to lie next to Once-ler. A smile spread across the sleeping face as arms absently groped before they wrapped themselves around Ted's firm body. Ted let one of his own arms drape over to lithe form before succumbing to sleep himself. There was no way he would ever let himself lose this.


	15. Waking in the aftermath

Deep blue-grey pools were exposed as drooping lids dragged themselves upwards. An unfamiliar sensation emanated from several parts of his lanky body. There was a separate source of heat, independent of his body and the sheets cocooned around it. A spiking tingle was pricking at one of his legs and an ache had seized the arm on the same side. The Once-ler grudgingly looked down to see a brown haired head limp atop his pained arm. The slightly pink lips of the man before him were parted in an expression that spoke of a comfortable rest. Blue-gray eyes became half lidded as a smile warmed up Once-ler's face. Never before had Once-ler experienced something quite like last night. The act of sex itself was different somehow but instead of this unknown sensation stirring unsure feelings, it was welcomed. Sex was normally hard and fast, why was this time so very different and why was the kid so tangled up with him? He was disconcerted though. The way they were still so close this morning, how Ted had entwined their sleeping forms so thoroughly together. The fuzzy feeling was nerve-wracking. Ted felt like something snug against the Once-ler. He felt accustomed to the boy's presence. Ted felt like just something else in his house. Something that was always there, but certainly not in a bad way. The atmosphere between the two of them was relaxed, in a way that made them seem like two of a kind. The relationship did not feel like they were as close as salt and pepper. To the Once-ler it felt more like each of them was a leg on a pair of pants. They were incredibly stuck to each other, removing one would render the other utterly useless.

Wide blue-grey eyes blinked at the object cutting off the circulation to various parts of the Once-ler's anatomy. An arm and leg began wiggling out from under the slumbering body. Stabs of pain shot through the skin of the restrained limbs and into the working muscle beneath, making the struggling man wince. A light warm sensation could be felt on the Once-ler's arm making him flinch. Blue-gray eyes widened with thoughts of one words conquering the head attached to them, 'Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT!' The smooth muscled body lifted off of the trapped limbs, only flopping back down to the bed when the Once-ler was free. The kid was smiling at him, nothing like a beaming smile or a smirk, just a small one, a content smile at the most. Those warm brown eyes lazily regarded the face of their lover.

The Once-ler could feel the shocked expression on his face. He forced his lips to quirk up in a small smile. He had been caught and there was absolutely nothing that could be done about it. "G-good morning," He felt surer as he spoke. It was just the kid after all and it was not like his secret had been found out, yet.

Ted levered himself back up again to kiss the face before him but stopped when his lover recoiled. Disappointment seeped into the expressive eyes though the smile was still in control of his slightly pouting mouth. "You thought that you could just sneak out again, didn't you?" A sly smirk took over the previously genuine features. "Without a word or even a morning kiss. My morning breath is not that bad." The smirk widened when blue-grey eyes avoided brown staring ones. The certain voice turned breathy, "Just kiss me Oncie," and with that, the brunette had closed the gap between the two men, not even giving the other enough time to respond.

The kiss was nothing more than a pair of lips pressed against another but it sent a fire through the Once-ler. The kid was kissing him. The kid was kissing HIM! There was no other person taking his place this time. Ted knew who he was and was kissing him. Wait, the kid knew who he was? That soothing fire brought upon an outbreak of goose bumps across slim appendages. Once-ler's heart began to race. How had the kid found out? The feel of the kid kissing him was getting to be too much. The overwhelming sensation of the kid's smell and presence was all just too much. Before he knew it, wiry arms had pushed the brunette away, ending the kiss, "What did you call me?" an excitedly squeaky voice chirped at the boy whose lips were still puckered a bit from the kiss.

"I saw the name on one of your old pictures, Once-ler," Ted explained evenly. He would not let this conversation get out of hand. Ted was not sure that he could go back to his other life now that he had had a taste of what a life with the other man could be like. The Once-ler was not going to get away from him this time. Ted kept his gaze level as he waited for the other man's response. It did not seem like the Once-ler had anticipated this and Ted was content to let him find his own way through the situation as long as he chose to stay with him. He smiled again to the other man before he wiggled his way closer to the other man. He almost wished that he could send messages to the other man telepathically, 'I love you,' the thought may not have helped too much but even a little bit was worth it. Ted could not speak them though. It was not time yet. It was far too early.

Brown hopeful eyes sparkled over a comforting smile directed towards the warring man. The kid knew who he was. Once-ler's heart threatened to tear its way out of his body and stop its beating all at the same time. The Once-ler's mind was not working quite fast enough to form any words. How could he possibly explain any of this? Why was Ted still here? How long had he known? A million questions buzzed around his head like angry hornets, stinging him as quickly as he could grab them to search for their answers. The kid knew.


	16. There are some things you cannot escape

Of all of the questions that plagued the Once-ler's mind, only one word escaped his lips, "Why?" There was nothing more to the question but somehow there did not have to be. They both knew the implications behind that one syllable. Why had Ted waited until now to tell Once-ler he knew? Why was he still here? Ted appeared to ponder the question. His dark eyes finally broke contact. Maybe Ted had realized that being with Once-ler was a mistake.

"Cause I wanted this," The admission made the Once-ler's heart ache. Wanted. The kid did not want it anymore. Once-ler nodded slowly. His slender fingers lifted his side of the brown blanket so the Once-ler could climb out of the bed. Bare feet met the plush floor and he stumbled a bit on the way to the door. "Wait! Where are you going?" The kid sounded almost desperate but Once-ler knew better. He was not desperate for his company no one ever was. No, Ted was desperate for something monetary or material just like every other person who had shared his bed.

Keeping any disappointment from his voice, Once-ler responded, "I am just going to get some breakfast. I will be back," There, his voice was light enough. The kid would never know what he really had planned. What did he have planned? Once-ler made his way to the door and headed downstairs. He rushed through the kitchen to the next flight downwards, only hearing one rushed cry of unless from the stone set on his table. The mad rush downward continued. He stopped on his bedroom floor to gather a thing or two. His long green coat was the first thing on then he dashed to his dresser to grab pants. He did not bother to look at what they were past noting that they were pants. He slipped them on before donning socks and shoes. The last article of clothing he gathered up was his green top hat. Heavy steps brought the now mostly clothed man deeper in his home.

The entryway was still dark and felt crowded with the kid's stuff in it. That odd black vehicle and a couple of bags took up half of the small hallway forcing the Once-ler to cross it against the wall. Every brush against the speeder felt like a scrape from poison ivy. It all made him itch to get out even faster. The whole house seemed as though it was stretched, anything to keep him in there longer. He finally got a hold of the door and threw his body out of the house. Right after his feet left the threshold, Once-ler instantly regretted this act. His body was moving much too fast to stop and he was destined to plummet straight through the rickety railing. Everything moved slowly, like the last of the good molasses dripping onto your hot pancakes in the morning. The moment felt like it may never end but he knew this would not end in delicious breakfast foods. His chest barely made contact with the banister before it gave way with an ear shattering CRACK! The long limbed body tumbled into the grikkle grass disoriented. Once-ler's breath was knocked out of his chest by the ground's brutal beating. Jolts of pain sprang to life in his body, focusing on the elbows he landed on the wrong way.

Big blue-grey eyes blinked in surprise. Nothing, there was darkness all around. Panic set in quickly. Making his already sore heart race, the darkness seemed to press against him in a tangible wall. Trembling fear filled breathing made his body convulse. Hands struggled to push against the wall before him and it gave way. Confusion painted across his face as he blinked again, supported by wavering arms. It was just the ground. He sprang to his feet causing the dizziness to come back full force. He staggered backwards a bit almost falling back to the ground as he blinked away the strange colors dotting his vision. A glimpse back at his home showed lights streaming through a few windows. Ted must be making his way downstairs too.

The Once-ler made a mad dash to the only other place he knew to go. The world seemed to rise up to meet his feet every stride he took. Breath came in labored gasps. The sprint was hindered though. Every tree he had cut down wanted revenge and was willing to do anything possible to take it from the fleeing man. The grave markers of the late lively spirits of the forest rose from the ground to force the Once-ler's pace to falter. Scarred stumps that were once the support of the caring homes of the forest creatures, now glared at their murderer. The jagged remains reached to grab the absconding young man. His body lurched as yet another vengeful entity grasped his pant leg. A look of horror came to his youthful face as he turned, sure that he had been caught this time. Blue-gray eyes, shining with his troubled thoughts glanced down to discover that splinters wrought by his axe blade had taken a hold of thin pants. It pleaded for answers. Why had he done this? Why was he running? Why didn't he fix anything he destroyed? Why didn't he face his shortcomings? Fabric gave way at a particularly forceful tug and sent the Once-ler toppling to the ground once again. Grey stumps, blackened by the years decay, seemed to tower over the once great Once-ler. At one time he thought he dominated this place but for years it had dominated him. The stumps knew that as they stretched towards him with their spiked points caused by his own hands.

The world was shaking again and the Once—ler could not control it. It was rushing by in one big devastated blur of nauseating grey-brown. Grikkle grass crunched up a resentful chorus at the feet treading over it. His body refused to acknowledge fatigue. He was far too terrified to feel the extra burning in his lungs. The polluted air was certainly not something to run in. His destination brimmed the next hill. It towered over the split bases of old trufula trees just as it had when those trees were still thriving. The enormous heap of metal was just as he remembered it. He skidded to a halt by the entrance, desperately trying to catch enough air to support his weary muscles. The air here was thin though, coated with a thick layer of smog. Full lunged coughs wracked his trembling body as the Once-ler forced the heavy steel door open. He closed the door behind him just in case if the kid thought to look in the massive structure. A robust hacking echoed back onto the winded man. The building itself seemed to amplify his failures. It projected his faults back onto him. The reverberating sounds reinforced how his botched life ruined everything. He caused all of the pain he suffered now and he deserved every bit of it.

No tears would come. They had left him years ago. They left with the animals, he thought. They were the last thing he lost that he thought he may actually deserve. By the time the Lorax had gone, he knew. He knew that this was his punishment for his misdeeds.

Trudging legs kicked a dusty path as they almost dragged across the floor of the abandoned building. Instinctually they brought the willowy man to the elevators but when unclothed fingers jabbed into the button spastically, nothing happened. A small sound escaped the Once-ler's lips with that realization. The slender body sank to the floor in defeat. His hat was placed in his arms to be cradled. He clutched it to his chest as though it too may leave him. He shivered among the cold soulless machines. These were the only things that would not banish his presence.

He stayed like that, sitting among the rubble that once was his life. He felt more accepted in this building. Nothing judged him here. All of the machinery just looked down on him with a cold indifference. This was the most tolerated he would ever be among anything. These were the only things he had not thoroughly destroyed in his ambitious exploits. He was amongst his own kind again. Killers and destroyers that he had ordered to obliterate his home were not quite up to his level of repugnance but they were at least his own species of loathed monstrosities. This would be his home now.


	17. New life

It did not take a minute for Ted to know that Once-ler ran away, it did not take an hour, nor a day. It took the boy an instant to see the hurt in those eyes. In less than a heartbeat he knew the man was trying to escape. Unfortunately those long legs could probably outrun his on a good day and this was not a good day to be running. Bare feet found the plushly carpeted floor nearly a minute after the man had departed. Standing was a serious problem. Legs wobbled and buckled with pain in the lower back. Ted fell to the floor deciding that the pleasure of the night before was not worth it if it meant that he had to chase the man the next morning. 'At least when I fucked him, I did not make him chase me all over the fucking place.' Ted struggled to get back on his feet groaning at the pain in his rear end. How the hell did the Once-ler move so freely the next day? Ted wiggled his hips around to test the pain that shot up his spine at every slight motion. His first step felt as though he may as well have been stabbed. As much as he would have liked it to get better from there, it did not. Every step brought about a new bout of agony but Ted had to press on. He had to catch that blue eyed lunatic and bring him to justice for the anguish he inflicted. The devious thoughts of what he could do to his lover spurred him on. The pain was not that unbearable. He would catch th-. Crash! Now, what the hell was that?

Ted hurriedly hobbled to the door and threw it open to flip on the lights in the hall. 'Well fuck,' Stairs. Flights and flights of stairs stood between Ted and where the crash took place. Brown eyes glared at the stairs as if they chose to hinder him. They teased them with their purpose. Stairs were supposed to allow people to move freely from floor to floor but these laughed at the chore. They scorned their duties as soon as they heard Ted's ass shatter with the blood curdling screams last night. They appeared all innocent but Ted knew that they had multiplied over the night just to punish him for stepping on them so many times. Ted winced as he stepped down on one, causing it to squeal with glee at his discomfort. When he caught the hiding man, his ass belonged to Ted. The Once-ler would pay for this, he resolved. Now the only problem was getting to him.

A raspy cough filled a vast empty assembly line. Dull greys of lifelessness filled this place. Dust hinted at a place where people once were but nothing stirred. Nothing here was truly alive. 'This' the Once-ler thought, 'is a very fitting place for me. Nothing alive suits the man who kills everything very well.' Pale slim fingers swept through dull grey dust making small piles of the fluffy substance. His head turned so his check was now resting on the cool dusty laminate floor. Once-ler's other fingers were still fiddling with the rim of the hat resting on his chest. His gloves normally stole these feelings from him: the soft stiff fabric of the hat, the powdery fuzzy feeling of a large layer of dust, the bitter cold of a hard floor. These sensations had been dulled over the years along with so many others. The Once-ler had cheated in his punishment, he knew. He should not have been allowed to enjoy the kid so thoroughly. He was not supposed to feel those things anymore. He was meant to be despised and persecuted. Eternal pain was meant to be his penance and he disregarded it. Feeling anything pleasing was going against what the Lorax had intended. His pleasure was an offense of the worst kind. It even dragged the kid down with him. That had to be the worst part of it. A snort from the wallowing man disturbed the dust and brought on another fit of throaty coughs. The dust did not only tickle the back of his now cough raw throat, but it also produced feather light twinges of pain in his lungs. The Once-ler refused to move his head though. He deserved every bit of this for inconveniencing the kid. The boy deserved better than this, he did.

No tears even welled up in the watery blue eyes but they showed their woe in staring indifference. The gaze was lost in the dust and on machinery.

The mindless swirls spread over feet across the flaking laminate floor. Piles of fluff were carefully constructed by pale slim fingers to surround the Once-ler. They peered up at him with nonexistent eyes. It seemed right that their gazes were void of anything, that not even glassy eyes were contained within them. The only time anyone had cared to look at the Once-ler was when he was of some value to them. Now, he was worthless and it was reflected in the nothing filled gazes of the tiny motes. He stood in the center of his work. He must have laid there for hours staring at his shining accomplishment in life, this deserted factory. Hours more must have been wasted as he ran his once clean fingers through the dust surrounding his resting place. Now an array of tiny mounds spread around his erect form, showing off their different shapes and sizes to their creator and their neighboring piles. Each thinking that they are the most impressive of the bunch, the Once-ler's favorite little dust mote. The sadly smiling man did not have the heart to hint otherwise to any of his creations, he knew what it was like to be overlooked.

Blue-gray eyes lifted slightly to examine the swirly pattern that twisted between each of the motes and spread far past their tiny reaches. Whatever small smile had been mustered previously was absent now. He knew those swirls all too well. The Once-ler was accustomed to seeing them in color, though; he could point them out in greyscale too. This was the pattern ever present in the tufts of truffula trees. The soft meandering of the lines of dust could have been silky fronds spreading from lively trees, dancing in the breeze. The Once-ler wiped the dust caked onto his finger on his pants.

This was the first time he actually noticed his pants. He had almost died in the pants for as carefree as they appeared. They were now a muted sky blue with light yellow bunnies printed on them. They had been washed and darned far too many times but the Once-ler knew he would never cast them aside. He loved them for the same reasons they made him uncomfortable. Within this fabric was his life, memories, of both good and bad. The memories these pants kept for him were inescapable, but he never wanted to be rid of them. Not even of the one where he nearly plummeted off a waterfall with a tiny bar-ba-loot.

He stood with a new vigor. He knew now what he must do. Long limbs moved with a new purpose. They travelled up into the heights of the enormous workplace, knowing exactly what they sought here.


	18. Pieces

Ted had searched everywhere he could find outside of the city for two days. He knew that his lover had fled his house but his whereabouts were elusive at best. The first search on the black speeder lasted an entire day and wound up fruitless. It left Ted grumpy and still sore as he trudged back into the Once-ler's house for the night. He woke bright and early the next day to find a trail he had not noticed before. There were slight tufts of brightly colored strands making a sparsely marked path through the gray rubble of dead landscape. He picked up the first bit of fluff between his fingers and though the orange fluff was nearly transparent due to its thinness, he knew it was as sure a sign as he would ever get. It was like a big, flashing, fluorescent, arrow sign pronouncing that the hiding man was this way. Ted raced down the barren land on his motorcycle. Each bright tuft of color he spotted spurred him on. This was the way to his Once-ler.

Pinks, yellows, purples, and oranges occasionally flashed up at Ted as he sped towards his lover, leading him to an old factory. The building towered over the land of biological decay. On this drive, Ted would not even allow himself to ponder what these hills must have looked like when lively trees danced on them in huge clusters of swaying patches of color. No, he had eyes only for that monstrous building the nearly invisible colorful path pointed to.

The construct was impressive in size only. It rose up in all directions to sneer down at the hillsides it surely murdered. The tall walls were a dank appearing grey made up of stained concrete that was now chipping away with age. Ted celebrated the steel supports that could be seen from the outside even though he knew the building would be structurally sound without them. There were posters on the dingy walls. Torn, tattered, and soiled from age until they were nearly indistinguishable. Ted knew what they were advertising regardless of their state. This was the old thneed factory that gave his hometown its name. Why would the Once-ler ever choose to come to this place? Ted drove around to the front doors of the place after circling the building once to check for anything out of the ordinary. The anterior portion of the workhouse put out a brilliant façade. At least, it would have back when the place was kept up regularly. Large planes of glass stretched up three stories to surround the immense double doors but they were mostly broken now and exposed the large, open entryway. Ted leaned his cycle up against a tiled bench that over looked a now broken fountain. The figure in the tiled basin was now faced down and overrun by grikkle grass. The angry weeds had ensnared the slender statue and held its face down in the once water filled crevice as though they were attempting to drown the lifeless figure in its own failure. Ted could not blame the vengeful plants for their disdain, whoever that statue depicted had probably singlehandedly destroyed their home and created this creepy limbo. He left the enraged mob of grikkle grass and crossed the concrete square to the grand metal doors that were only slightly tainted by rust.

Surrounding the tall doors was a grand grey veined white marble archway that had also fallen into disrepair. Scores spread across some parts as if people had attacked the thing and names and scornful words were scrawled all over the bottom half of the thing, whatever could be reached by human arms. Ted noted graffiti littering the walls but could not recognize any of the artists' hand. This work must have been done years ago, before the walls around the city were even erected. The language on the walls came as no surprise really, but one word stood out to Ted. That word was 'FAG!' written in bright oranges and purples.

That was the word that would be used to describe him when people found out about his most recent relationship. Just thinking about it made a new small ache shoot from his rear end to remind him that he was one. Ted was a fag. He could not bring himself to care about the disgusted looks and comments that declaration could conjure up. Those were all from ignorant blockheads anyway. What sent a shiver down his spine was the thought that they might be the same in even a small way. He and the man who had destroyed this place may have shared even a small connection if that man truly was gay. Ted's face contorted in disgust just at the thought.

The heavy doors came open easily enough, once the rusty lock had been coerced into breaking open. A loud slam echoed into the vacant lobby. Rocks that were surely thrown to break the windows to the outside, lay resting on the cool stone tiles of the floor. One particularly well thrown stone had found a home on the security desk facing the doors. When the public discovered what this place had been doing to the ecosystem, the people who worked here probably needed all the security they could get. Ted crossed straight over to the information desk and peered at the directory positioned right next to it. Names and numbers were printed neatly in order by floor but Ted never made it past the first name he read. The office was the only one on the top floor. The name was printed in the same blocky font, the same size as any other but it stood out as though it took up half of the sign and was bright pink.

Room 1001: The Once-ler's Office

The helmeted boy had no idea how long he had been standing there staring at the sign but he was forced to stop because of the failing light streaming through the windows. He glanced behind him to see that the sun was on the other side of the building now. The front of the building faced the east, away from the setting sun. Ted flicked on the small lights built into his helmet. He was glad that he had splurged on this model. The others did not have nearly as many gadgets built into them. It was the second most expensive thing he had ever bought, only beaten in price by his speeder that was parked outside.

He continued into the building, knowing to not even try the elevators because there was no way this place would still have power. This meant that he would be taking the stairs all the way to the top floor, oh joy. The trek upwards into the rundown business place lasted an eternity but was not nearly as long as Ted had anticipated. He thought climbing the steps to the tenth floor would be a horrible torturous boring waste of his time, but he passed the time thinking.

The Once-ler was the one who had run this place, the head honcho. His lover was named the Once-ler too. His grandma Norma had directed him to the Once-ler's house to learn where all of the trees went when he was a child. He had gone once but never went back to hear the rest of the tale which ended abruptly with the Once-ler going to sleep after finding the truffula forest. He had said that it all happened a long long time ago but did he say anything else? "'It was all my fault,'" Ted remembered and paused on the stairs. So the old man chopped down all of the trees. Who was he? The Once-ler's father? Grandfather? Why did the still living Once-ler dress up as an old man and live out in a wasteland in a self-induced exile? What had his lover said? "'That kid was a menace,'" When Ted had asked about the old pictures in the basement, that was his answer. The pictures looked just like his lover, no they were of his love, there was no doubt then that means…

Ted paused. He was standing in an office that was in shambles. Everything was broken to be completely unusable except for a heavy black wooden desk that was even more ornate than the one at the Once-ler's house. A big painting of the Once-ler's family was left hanging from the wall skewed with a huge gash across it. Ted Picked up the loose canvas and held it in place to examine the smirking face of his lover clad all in an expensive green suit. The tear was meant to strike the successful young man's image. Ted dropped the cloth and the portrait fell from its hanger. He crunched through the ruins of the old office fixtures. Broken wood splintered across the black marble flooring identical to that in the Once-ler's rooms at home. It was black with the same silver and green veining. Glass from windows and who knows what else scraped beneath Ted's thick boots. Along with the crunch of paper and a plethora of other materials, it made a strange symphony of destruction. Ted stood before the desk now. It was not whole due to the lack of effort towards its destruction. There were a couple of deep gashes in the wood that hinted at a brute force's attack that was not quite strong enough to render the desk completely broken and a large amount of scuffs showed palely on the dark glossy surface from the battle.

Not much dust was on the desk. It was almost as if someone had been here recently. The floor and every other surface was practically coated with the stuff but the desk was rather clean. The Once-ler must have come here recently. Ted looked over the documents on the desk. An unmarked will bore the Once-ler's name but did not give an heir to his fortune. Other forms outlined just how extensive his earnings had been. One graph showed the production of thneeds up until the factory was shut down. Ted did not care to look at the total number of thneeds sold. One handwritten document was an old poem.

"As we all leave, here you will stay.

Never being forced, you will remember this day.

The swomee swans will fly, the humming fish swim,

The bar-ba-loots will flee until you're fixed by him.

Here we leave you, in this land so dry,

Waiting for your change, unless you change, you never die."

Ted stopped breathing. Was this some sort of joke? The animals all fled their home because it was inhospitable because of the pollution and the land was certainly dead, but never dying. Suddenly, the Once-ler being the exact same man in the pictures was a bit more believable. Ted still could not fathom it but it was a new theory. "Must be great to be forever young and look like that," Ted mumbled to himself, not really expect a response.

Just because you do not expect something, does not mean it does not come. A strange musty voice spoke to Ted from everywhere at once, "One would think that, wouldn't they?"

Ted looked around asking who was there but finding no one to claim the aged voice. Spooked, the boy fled the upper levels of the building and found himself back in the lobby. The Onc-ler could be hiding anywhere in this old building but Ted did not really believe the man had stayed here. The air itself could kill and even if the other man did not know that, he must know that he would starve here. No, there was just one place that Ted knew the Once-ler would inevitably return to. The Once-ler must have gone to the city.

Thneedville.


	19. The art of trapping

Erin O'Hare hardly wanted to face the world any longer. It was her duty, the cost of her wealth and fame. The painted mask strewn across her own pale face had been perfected years ago by her delicate fingers. Each of the digits' tips was coated in a deep red lacquer that glistened like the blood of those she clawed away to get to her station. Those shining beacons of cruelty travelled up to her beehive hairdo. The mess of dirty blonde curls towered over her head, framing her features in what was supposed to be an alluring way. Her bloody talons spread over the full length skirt that rippled down from her slight hips. The fabric matched the deep red of her nails perfectly. It shimmered only slightly and showed off her subtle curves luxuriously.

Tonight was the twenty-fifth anniversary of O'Hare air and her husband would not even be attending the party. She was used to things like this, being alone at parties or prestigious events while O'Hare goes off to squeeze his newest youngest assistant, but she did not expect it of him tonight. The ball was in honor of him and she had not a single idea of where he may have escaped to. He was never quite the socialite she was but he did so love the high life.

Erin knew the importance of enjoying this moment while it lasted. She knew what her husband did not. How couldn't she see it coming? The monopoly O'Hare worked so tirelessly to create was at its end. Other smaller companies were manufacturing clean air which would be ignorable if they were not stockpiling the stuff and banding together. Those ants had become a colony of African Driver Ants and were about ready to eat the whole cow. Yes, her time with O'Hare was nearing its end. She may be getting older but she had at least one more big marriage to go before she got out of the game. This party would be her test run. Oh, it had been many years since her skills were last implemented but she had something those younger chits did not, experience. She would flirt circles around those girls and show them just how real women did it.

Tonight she would pick her newest quarry. Some lucky young man with a potential for greatness will be her target now. She would help build him up just as she did for O'Hare and reap the rewards. At least this divorce would be painless, no kids to muck things up, and she already had evidence of O'Hare's infidelities so it would be futile of him to resist her.

The party was at her mansion in uptown Thneedville. Guests could already be heard mingling from below. In just a few minutes she would make her entrance, with or without her husband. She knew better than to fret over her appearance like some teenage girl might but she wanted so badly to begin sewing her seeds of interest tonight. The smiles and ignoring have always been her strong suit and would never truly vanish in her set of skills, but there was also walking to worry about, the touching that it was so easy to go overboard with, eyes, expressions, and feigning interest in trivial matters. It was almost time now. The second hand was ticking away on a grand ivory face that kept repeating to her that her skills would have to be dusted off and used. She glanced over at it to note that in less than a minute, she would make her way to descend the house's main grand marble staircase. Smiles would be given to everyone but lingering gazes to few. Laughter would have to be spread around as a good hostess would, but touches on the arm as her girlish giggle enchanted her guests would be reserved for potential prey. Ways to stand and speak to get those hot blooded boys thinking of her in such ways that they would never believe she had intended were being reviewed. She could always charm them wi- Knocking interrupted her mental preparations for the evening. "Come in," She called distractedly with her back to the door. She knew already who it was. The mansions doorman had his one distinct quiet rapping as he knocked. He should be below with the guests as was his duty, but she knew if he was disturbing her and shirking his orders, the cause must be something he believes important.

"Mistress O'Hare," The deep voice of Recks hisses out. "This young man was not on the guests list." Recks has been in Erin's employ long enough to know better than to allow strangers onto her property. She turns, ready to put her claws to use on the brutish man when she caught sight of the 'young man' her doorman was referring to. He was breathtaking to put it simply. Tall enough in stature to rival Recks but slender in an expensive suit. It was a black tuxedo, as the party was black tie, but the man wore it like a second skin. Man was not the word she would use if he was in jeans and a T shirt but the ease that he put into wearing the dress clothes made it impossible to think him anything else. "He wished to speak to Master O'Hare." Recks finished, knowing that his mistress would understand the statement. Everyone in the household knew very well which of the O'Hares was better with making decisions regarding the family's status. She waved the enormous man away and gave the 'young man' her undivided attention.

Once Recks excused himself, Erin felt herself unable to look at anything other than the man before her. She offered him a seat and he ventured further into the study. She was almost certain that the man with his cocky grin had the audacity to take her husband's seat but he stopped just a few feet short in front of the sizable desk and perched himself up on the tiled surface as though it was nothing. O'Hare had a taste for only the best since he had made his first billion. That marble tiled desk was a one of a kind antique used by the royal family of Denmark. More than sixty percent of that marble had gone extinct and the piece itself was worth more than the boy had probably ever seen. Every small tile was brought back from a different place by the original owner when they travelled and then the collection was fashioned into the surface of the desk. Many tables were made this way when it was popular but this was the only desk she had ever seen like it.

The young man just sat back on it grandeur though, with hands supporting his body as it leaned back with long legs crossed before him. His grin was more than arrogant. It was downright superior. His round childish face was flawless and perfectly framed by soft feathery black locks. Glossy black sunglasses were donned to make him look more menacing. Surely the child did not think wearing shades at nighttime was enough to give him an edge against her. Erin was young still but she still had at least five years on this kid. She could talk circles around him, she was sure. Still, he would make a lovely trophy husband, or maybe another secret lover. Yes, this boy would be a perfect liner for her bed.

"Miss O'Hare," The boy began to speak in his own self-assured way. "I am the Once-ler, I had a proposition for your husband but I believe you will be even more sentimental to my cause." The thin man paused to remove his sunglasses and rub weary blue eyes. As cocky as his grin seemed, Erin knew that he had reservations about coming here. His lanky limbs may have moved with a certain swagger as he walked but now that he was seated those limbs belied exhaustion and nerves. She smoothed her skirts, knowing very well that it would send her guest a message that she was nervous. She needed to be certain that her new mate could be a hunter after all. The man did seem to note her rather obscure body language with wide gorgeous blue eyes. Would it be a liability to snag a man with eyes that she could lose herself in? Not only did this boy have those haltingly beautiful eyes but he was sharp enough to give her a challenge. The upper class woman knew that she had to take care with this one. If she did not, she may be in danger of falling in love. "You see Miss O'Hare, I am the cause of your quite extensive fortune." How preposterous a claim to stake on another's own property. "You would think so wouldn't you?" The Once-ler's eyes pierced her own like icy pikes driving a fatal blow into her slight frame. Erin blushed, chagrined, she should be able to hold her tongue much better than that! Yes, this boy would prove to be quite an adversary. "Your husband was a victim of circumstance. An extremely crafty and fortunate one but his wealth was acquired mostly through a great bout of chance. His product would only have succeeded in very exact situations, and due to my own follies, his business was allowed to thrive. Now, I am sure you are wondering what I am doing uninvited on the night of your big party-" His words twisted that friendly smile of his into the semblance of a sneer. "Well as I said, I have a proposition. One that I find unlikely you will refuse.

"You see, at one time, this whole city was trees, plants, and animals. Not much need for purified air in a place like that. Then I came along, me and my fabulous invention that everyone would need. Me and my thneed showed up and ruined it all. And in that ruin, O'Hare's empire thrived. It was in my grave error that all this could come about. So that is why I came here, to get funding, for the next big thing: trees, real trees."

"Mr. Once-ler, if you think for one moment that you can come in here and ask for help in overthrowing everything that we have worked so hard to build up then you have another thing coming young man! I mean really, of all the-" By this time, Erin was on her feet gesticulating wildly about how inconceivable an idea it was.

"Miss O'Hare, I will have you know that there is not a fool present in this room." The Once-ler seemed to lose whatever misgivings he may have held when she lost her composure. He was now calm and completely at ease in his predecessor's home, sitting on that expensive desk. He knew how this conversation was bound to end but how long was he so sure? This young man, delusional or not, was dangerous to her and they both knew it, but Erin could not bring herself to care.

Still, there are appearances to keep up in this dance of theirs. Erin was far behind in this battle but she refused to lose the war to this lunatic who had already stolen her most closely kept possession. "If you are as intelligent as you fancy yourself, then tell me why I would ever choose to fund such an endeavor."

The Once-ler broke eye contact for the first time in what seemed to be forever for the now nearly breathless woman. He turned instead to wipe the dark lenses of his glasses with his handkerchief. "Now, now Miss O'Hare. This would go so much easier if we were honest with ourselves and each other. O'Hare Air's empire is collapsing. The monopoly you have established will soon be taken over by those younger companies that have been biting at your heels for some time now. Trees are the next big thing and they very well could be O'Hare's last chance. What do you say O'Hare?"

Somewhere when the Once-ler had put the dangers plaguing her company into words, the inevitability of O'Hare's collapse, she went weak in the knees and collapsed back into her chair. All decorum was lost. This battle had a definite victor and it was certainly not her. Tonight she would hardly need to cast her net because this man before her had already ensnared her clumsy fingers in his own trap. Even if she caught another, it would do nothing to satiate her appetite. She was starving and only this man was enough to quell her hunger. Just catching him would surely prove to be the greatest challenge. It always was when love was involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter I will be posting before February fourth. I have forty-three of fifty five chapters written but I need that last little push to get my head back into the game and finish this off. I really want to finish this because it is the first fanfiction I ever wrote. This started it all and I am so close to the end, I can taste it. 
> 
> If this story elicits any response from you and you want it to be completed too, please share your comments with me. I gotta get inspiration somewhere. 
> 
> Thank you to all you lovely readers. I hope you are enjoying my work.


	20. Race Along the Puddled Track

One last chance, sometimes that is all you get. It can be enough, but it can also come up short and leave you with nothing. This was the last chance. The revving engines and murky asphalt were the last chance and Ted could not help but throw himself into it. He had been a notorious street racer for years, since high school, but it had been so long since he had felt the need to race. This particular track had always been a crowd favorite and it seemed like it won out today as well. Much of downtown Thneedville could only be described as rickety to begin with but this section was downright falling apart. Parts of the street were left as gaping trenches to the sewers on purpose for this reason alone, so the races could be that much more exciting. Phillaphlop lined not only streets and gutters here but also had coated walls in a thick substance that greatly resembled tar. Ramps teetered as they travelled up to line the roofs of hunched buildings. Dark coloring of this portion of town reinforced the menacing vibe of the route.

None of this could possibly deter Ted today though. He had a mission and would not back down for anything. This one race meant more than anything to him. Previous earnings here were funneled into the purchase of his helmet, renovations on his speeder, or whatever else he may have needed. This race, however was something so much dearer to him, it would determine the outcome of a life. A feeling spread through him, a rush of sorts. It resembled what he felt when he had first come to these parts of town as a kid. He needed money for medicine but all he had was his wheeler and selling it would only work for so long. Here there was no work for a kid still in school like he had been so he did the only thing he could do for the kind of money he needed, he turned to street racing. It seemed natural since he had practically been born on vehicles like that one so he knew that he would definitely win the race. In his youth, Ted could not have been more wrong. He had only won that first race because of the other driver's arrogance. Racing the wheeler to its fullest capacity was literally and figuratively child's play for these crowds and if the other driver had not accidentally nosedived into the sewers to his death, then Ted probably would not be here today. Of course he had not had the money he bet on that first race. He usually did not have whatever stakes he bet but back then, these 'people' would have killed him on the spot for wasting their time with such shenanigans. After that first race, Ted vowed not to return, but he eventually heard the engine's siren call when he was pawning machine parts from outside of the city. They called for him to buy this speeder and once he did, there seemed not to be a force on Earth that could pull him away from the tracks of Thneedville.

A familiar feeling plagued his body, the nerves that were ever present before a race takes place. These had been the same since he was a child. It seemed that the constant rumble of the speeder had equal chances of being caused by his own body's quivering. Fear was not quite how Ted would describe it, more of a rush, maybe an alien feeling of masochism. The love of the impending threat of death or worse, dismemberment on a run was something that drove most back to the speedways. It could be said that they would always return until one of those looming threats made them incapable of coming back for more but every now and then a racer would be lost to a loved one pulling them away from their self-harming ways. Ted knew that nothing would drive him from this thrill. It would forever be a major part of him.

His slightly trembling head turned to regard his opponent from within his glossy black helmet. R.J. was one of the heaviest of the street racers. He passed six feet with ease though Ted had no clue how much taller than that the man was, more than half a foot certainly. His bulk was the real surprise for this racer. Whatever R.J. did for a living, it was a near certainty that he lifted heavy objects or something of the like. One of his arms was tattooed red with all sorts of black markings on it but it mostly reminded Ted of a big fire hydrant that someone had drawn on. If Ted was asked to guess, he would say that the man's arms were probably harder than the metal wrought hydrant.

R.J. was a friendly man, off the track, who was always willing to give some fatherly advice to the younger racers. He was more than ten years Ted's senior and everyone downtown knew that this year would most likely be his last regardless of his risky tendencies. Like so many in this district, his body had been exposed to toxins far too much and was beginning its decline. His exterior barely showed that the smog had had an effect on him though an odd dark tinge to his skin marked him as one who worked outside often. This discoloration was mostly hidden beneath a dull grey-green helmet with a metallic yellow visor and black canvas clothes.

R.J.'s size could be ignored at a distance on his motorcycle though. A Titan they called it, but Ted had only seen two ever in the city. They were both custom jobs by Zoomit, some big auto manufacturer that Ted could never afford to buy something from. This one was that same grey-green color that made Ted wonder if the helmet was made by Zoomit as well or if one of the items was just made to match the other. The other Titan belonged to some shmuck from uptown Thneedville. It was a deep blue with chrome that tried to blind whoever was unfortunate enough to glance its way. Its rider was some business man who looked like a child joyriding on the thing, as much from the amount of control and ease of riding as from the size of the vehicle.

A black leather clad sausage of a finger tapped nonchalantly on the speedometer of R.J.'s Titan, Atlas. Ted knew this signal, he had used it himself once or twice before. Not all of the motorcycles had speedometers so occasionally another surface was tapped such as a watch face or gas gauge but the message was always the same. R.J. was willing to throw the race for Ted. For many racers, this signal was an abomination but for some of the others who made their livings through races, it acceptable to be used every once in a while. R.J.'s helmet was not facing him, but Ted would have bet the steely grey eyes beneath it were trained on him. This race was his everything and they both knew it but Ted had to follow through with his signal if he was to accept this tremendous gift from the other man. Ted turned to regard the crowd behind him for just a brief moment. It was done, all he had to do now was make the show good enough for the crowds and they would get away with it.

Ted's breathing had slowed into the more measured breaths that many athletes use moments before a sprint. His fingers flexed over the speeder's grips, searching for that one familiar grip that he always used in races. There, now a skimpy clothed girl with wild bottle red hair stood before the two cycles with her silky ebony flags. Ted's muscles tensed like a big cat ready to pounce on a gazelle. Slightly smudged, bright red lips cocked up as the flags came down to either side of her now crouched form but Ted had not seen the smile.

Ted's speeder was already far gone, the gas having been slammed into. He and R.J. were abreast with one another as they zipped past a blur of dark grey scenery, the cycles moving so fast that they left split puddles and trash stirred up by the wind of their wake.

A roaring wind and the resistance was all Ted could sense in the whole world but he focused on every small detail of the path he would be taking. A pothole here meant that he would have to deviate to the left a bit. Up ahead though, was a gaping hole in the street that would push him right up onto Atlas's wicked spikey exterior if he was not careful. R.J. swerved toward him to fake put him off balance but it was not going to deter him this time. Ted sped up just enough to overtake the other man who responded by nudging him in a less than friendly way but one that would not leave any lasting damage to the speeder. Ted veered right to avoid the enormous puddle that was hiding that treacherous trench. He hated riding here after a big rain. Up ahead the hole riddled street was covered entirely by a glassy coating of tainted water. Ted avoided the dips with ease by taking a ramp on the side of the street up onto the roofs of the houses. He could not feel the tremor in the ramp nor the near violent shaking it left behind but he did note an odd dip the rickety structure took on in its middle when he rode over it. Dry rot in the plastic began to make frightening cracking noises as the structure began to break apart making the speeder jolt in its mad dash. Ted over compensated to feel the bottom of his leg scrap perilously on the surface of the ramp. Evening out left Ted panting and the speeder wobbling still more. Ten more feet and he would be free of this teetering contraption. The plastic continued to lurch beneath him as he closed that gap to solid ground much too slowly for his liking. The front wheel hitting asphalt felt almost like an impact all its own. Ted swerved to avoid another gaping chasm in the pavement before reaching out a hand towards the marker. His turn around the post was fast and left his left leg flush against the coarse road as he skidded over it for a matter of excruciatingly painful moments. He leveled out only to realize there was another problem. R.J., who was now right on his heels had apparently taken that same path he had to avoid the potholes and it was completely trashed. Jagged edges jutted out as if the speeder and Atlas had shattered the plastic which was a distinct possibility. Both men would have to go through the mine field. Ted only hoped that his memory of this road was good enough.

Ted tried to picture the street without the water. He could see the holes clearly. He and the speeder dipped and swerved around the pits in an intricate dance that left the holes with their water hidden mouths gaping in a mixture of awe and anger. One jutting piece of pavement caused the team to lurch but it was nothing that Ted could not handle. The huge trench to the sewer was easily evaded as well and Ted knew he was home free with R.J. about twenty feet behind. A wicked smile crept onto his face around panted breaths. 'Just forty feet more,' he thought while dodging another pothole puddle. Pop! Pop! The sounds were nearly as deafening as the screech that followed sending Ted and his speeder down to skid across the unforgiving road. Pain did not begin to describe the burning all over Ted's body. Atlas sped by and within seconds crossed the finish line to slant to a halt. The hulking man dismounted before the motorcycle had completed its stop it seemed. He along with other familiar faces were all dashing towards Ted but if the hazy darkened edges to his field of vision were anything to go by, they would not make it in time.

Ted groaned weakly trying to decipher what had happened and how damaged his body really was. Moving just brought about unbearable pain and did not seem to translate to his limbs. Was he a paraplegic? That thought hardly even sent him a sliver of worry because he noticed that his vision was oddly fragmented in a foreign bright way. It did not really matter what happened from here on out anyways. He had fucked up. His life was officially over. With that fleeting thought, his vision was taken over by powerful steely grey eyes and concerned youthful brown ones. A loud bass took over his ears as though he was standing far too close to the speakers in a club. A higher pitched whine followed shortly after but the end of it coalesced into the semblance of syllables.

The bass took over again to conquer Ted's ears, "Stay awake Ted. Don't sleep." As much as Ted would have loved to obey the voice, his body had other plans as it slipped from consciousness. His ears only registered one last word before he fell away entirely, "Concussion." The darkness that enveloped him was not so bad, at least it took away all the pain along with the light.


	21. Where have you been? Where are you going?

Hollow brown eyes tiredly regarded their counterparts in a broken, blood splattered mirror. Their owner was completely numbed by some pill that was forced down his throat. It had kept him completely paralyzed and painless for hours but it had also kept him awake. Ted wished he did not know what that drug was used for but the thought would not leave him. R.J. had a whole bottle filled with those things that were so often used to drug young girls to take advantage of them or kidnap them to bring them into the prostitution ring. That bottle was just the one Ted had seen, who knows how much of that stuff R.J. had, but Ted could not deny that no matter what the man was involved in, he had saved him. R.J. had brought him to his house to recover from the crash. The act may have just been to repay Ted for the money he had earned for him just a month before to help with medical bills but Ted could not overlook the generosity R.J. showed him.

Another wave of boiling heat welled up into the boy's mouth to signal another bout of heaving but his empty stomach lurched to void itself of nothingness. Ted had already lost what seemed like every meal he had ever eaten. He watched his reflection raise a hand to wipe its mouth and now satisfied that nothing more would be able to come up, he departed from the bathroom to reunite with the small gathering at R.J.'s kitchen table. It was a fairly motley bunch of people Ted counted as friends that had stayed to make sure he would survive the head injury that had actually dented his two thousand dollar helmet. EatR had insisted the overpriced thing had done its job and saved him when Ted was still paralyzed and the others were discussing it but R.J. had not been convinced that the thing was not a waste of hard earned cash.

The two were still arguing over something though Ted could not decipher what about. Though she was not present at the race, apparently EatR had jumped on Hunkling as fast as possible to bolt down here when she heard the outcome. At twenty six, she was Ted's big sister of the rougher side of town. Her black wavy hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail that streamed down to her elbows. She wore a tight white wife beater tank top that did nothing to hide her high beams and a pair of black running shorts. She fiddled with her ever present rope bracelet while glaring daggers at R.J. from across the cluttered table. Her face was scrunched up into a squinting mass of hatred that hid her black eyes until they seemed beadier than they really were. She had been cursed with something like a baby doll's face and was often over looked as a racer. Her full fanned lashes and plump pouting lips looked more silly than anything when she was at the tracks, glaring at anyone who crossed her path. She was thin but her dark skin retained a healthy glow that was uncommon around this table. One of the blessings of being a woman, you could find work that was not hazardous to your health. No, EatR was a very successful showgirl but Ted could never figure out where it was she performed.

R.J. did not have that problem though. Apparently he had stumbled across her act at one time and embarrassed her at it in some way. The two had been at odds like cats and dogs since, like they were now. R.J. did not seem nearly as put off by their arguments. He always seemed to have the upper hand even if EatR was right. Now though, he was off his game. Somehow in his own lair, he seemed uneasy. He was standing tensely in a corner against the plastic composite countertop and garbage disposal. He probably stood to allow his guests to take the four mismatched chairs at his table. Two were a dingy pair of pale blue green vinyl cushions supported by metal frames that certainly had their share of brown stains. One was a medium brown wooden chair that was greatly scuffed but sturdy enough to support much more than EatR's slight weight. The last one was a cream colored plastic stool with cuts and writing spread across its surface. R.J. had been sitting there until Ted took his place when he woke. Ted sat back on the creaky surface to rejoin the gathering.

Ted was sitting almost in front of the standing hulk who had drugged him earlier just that day. Between Ted and EatR was Wes, probably acting like a sort of barrier for the two adults who were constantly at war. A pathetic hindrance for the two, he was. Wes was still in school, a freshman in high school this year actually. He was tall and lanky but boy was he skinny. Most joked that a slight breeze could whisk him away and the joke was only reinforced by his first encounter with a motorcycle. Apparently he did not have a good enough grip on the thing because he flipped right over the taillight and onto the pavement behind him. His terror filled expression sent the hardened racers into hysterics but even with his mortification, it was a rite of passage for him. That was probably his best chance as wall between EatR and R.J., everyone in the crew loved him and would murder someone before allowing anything to harm the boy. One of the sharks had ended that way actually. He did not die by racer's hands but he was frightened so badly that he never returned to the tracks. Now if only the rest of the sharks would disappear too. They were necessary for betting purposes but they were the real danger of the tracks. They glorified themselves and took any role between friendly repo men to old Grim's job to collect debts from betting. EatR had fallen into their hands when she first came around. She had placed a bet she could not follow through with and was passed around between them for some fun before they started to really got down to business. They all claimed that one finger was all she owed but everyone knew better than that. Someone had interfered when they removed her left ring finger and they were ashamed to admit someone could overpower the lot of them. No one knew who had done it though since those were considered private matters.

She joked about it now sometimes saying that she was married to Hunkling but the crew knew that the event left her horrified. On EatR's other side was Wes's mom. She was a matronly character in physique and tendencies. Ted could still feel echoes of the sensation of her fingers brushing back his hair while he was immobilized. Mama Rose, everyone downtown called her though she lived in the mid-city. Someone had even painted her house a rosy pink color to match her name which she good naturedly kept up. She had a lighter shade of brown hair than her son but their dark eyes were the same. Now her rather plump cheeks pushed up wards by her mauve stained lips. Her smile was enough to put Ted at ease. She was the one who decided which medicine they would use one him since he did not have the money or insurance to go to the hospital. He needed to be awake but she did not want him to experience the pain from the crash so those date rape drugs were chosen out of R.J.'s limited medicine cabinet. Today she was in a pink shirt and khaki pants. Her son wore a forest green button up and a pair of khaki slacks that could have been the same pair as his mother's except for the size differences. These were his school uniform, Mama Rose must be furious that he was missing class.

The two bickering individuals were still stuck in some sort of stalemate of recriminations when Rose cut them off to address Ted. "What in Thneedville did you think you were doing Ted? I thought you had finally come to your senses enough to give up on this silly racing thing." Everyone turned to look at the still battered but now heavily bandaged boy. It was not him who answered though.

"He did it for 'is Ma, Rose," R.J. put a big gloved hand on the table next to Ted. Every racer knew the lust for racing was something others just did not get so they had long since given up trying to explain it to the concerned woman, but this time was different, it seemed some sort of justification was in order for this race, it was after all Ted's last chance to make everything right. "Apparently he hasn't been to work for a week. She's going to be evicted from the home and Ted also lost his apartment to in that race. My question is where they hell have you been boy?" R.J.'s other enormous hand went to Ted's hair to force the boy's head back to make eye contact for the answer.

"He hasn't been going to work either? Ted, this is not all because of that girl is it?" Mama Rose sounded concerned now. Of course she knew about his previous infatuation for Audrey but did she have to bring it up in front of racers?

EatR picked it up from there, "What girl? The red haired vixen that has been makin' Ted's pants tight since he got outta diapers? Sorry, but I don't think she wants ya. That new tree makin' guy of hers was the one who rigged the course."

"We don't know that for sure!" R.J. retorted, releasing Ted's hair to lean over the dirty table, closer to the black haired girl.

"Oh, it was so that-"

"Guys!" Wes yelled with his voice cracking shrilly which sent the congregation bursting into hearty guffaws but effectively cut the arguing off. "Look, what is really important is where the fuck Ted has been."

"Wesley! Language!" Mama rose scolded in a hushed voice.

"That is not important now Rose," R.J. turned back the regard Ted with his serious steely eyes. "Well, Ted? Where you been?"

While he was gone, Ted had not thought about it much. Leaving was so easy, as running away often was. His mother should have had plenty of money saved up. He still was not certain what had happened to her retirement fund but now she was broke, made destitute by indiscernible circumstances. Now he was left homeless, jobless and he had to come up with a way to support his mother. He could not find where to begin. Thankfully, Wes chimed in to give him a point to start from.

"Was it really all because of Audrey?" His voice was quiet but everyone had heard. It felt strange to Ted, hearing her name and not feeling that burning desire to please her.

"Yeah. No. Hell, I don't know." Ted answered glumly. "I left because I was mad at first and then I just couldn't come back. I know it's stupid but I could not help myself. I just," His voice faltered. What was he about to say? He just fell in love that was it, but was that right?

"Oh Teddy, you can't just hide in a hole just because a girl doesn't like you. Where have you been anyways?" EatR reached out lay a hand over one of Ted's earning her a glare from R.J..

Ted pulled his hands away to put them demurely in his lap. "I left the city," The collective gasp that resounded from his statement could not have gone better if it was planned. "I went out to see the Once-ler. I broke his window and have been spending the past week fixing it."

R.J. snorted from behind him, "You expect us to believe it took you a week to fix a window. What is the Once-ler anyway?"

"He- uh," Ted could not think of a way to describe the man. So far all the Once-ler had done was trick him, fuck him, and trick him again. "He killed all the trees." The admission was a revelation to Ted. The Once-ler was that man who murdered all of the trees. He was the same monster that killed any chance Ted had with Audrey. The Once-ler was the reason Ted was here, jobless and homeless, trying in vain to find some way to keep both he and his mother alive. Ted was lost to the world now. His friends tried to wheedle more answers from him but he was so broken that he sat motionless and quiet for the rest of the evening while the others fought over and debated his fate. R.J. volunteered to put him up as evening came upon them. EatR left to start her shift dancing and after a dinner made by Mama Rose, she and Wes went home to mid-city.

Once the two were alone, R.J. coaxed Ted onto the beaten up couch with a blanket and pillow. They sat watching each other for a long time. Ted barely noting that the other was there and R.J. thinking of nothing else. Finally, before R.J. departed for bed, he tucked Ted in, looking like there was something more he wanted to say but unable to say it. The lights went out and Ted was again plunged into darkness but this one did not have the same effect as the last. His problems and pain were only worsened by this blackness. Ted lay there, wondering about the blue eyed man.


	22. Serendipity in an Elevator

A quite formidable mountain of fluffy bubbles towered over the rim of the gold lined gray marble bathtub. The Once-ler lifted a slim leg out of the mound to watch the white patches slowly trail down the pale limb. No amount of scrubbing in the world was enough to clean his conscience. His plan was coming together quite nicely if he did say so himself. He had not spoken to Aloysius O'Hare yet but there was no need to, that he could see. Erin was infatuated with him and pretended to put up a fight before relenting to his ideas. Even now she would be deciding what plot of land would be the prime one to reserve for their purposes. She could identify a sinking ship and was prepare to grasp at any stray driftwood to keep her afloat. She never paused to consider whether this little tugboat he offered to save her was any safer than the wild waves of the ocean's waters. It was filled to the brim with a writhing angry collection of exotic poisonous snakes. The Once-ler could not make himself feel guilty for setting the woman up. She was certainly ready to cast any number of innocents aside to keep her status in the rich district. He could not be blamed for joining in on the game she had already set in motion and defeating her in it, could he? He scratched a soapy ankle with his toenails. If he stayed in this water too much longer, he would get pruney.

Extracting his body from the soapy water was easy enough but it took more than one toweling to rid himself of all of the jasmine scented suds. His old tailored green suit was donned once he was dry. Special care was taken in the straightening of his black and green striped green silk tie and in adjusting the tops of his nearly arm length green gloves. The whole outfit was topped off with his tall green hat. It was all silky and perfectly starched to keep creases in all the right places.

It had been years since he last wore these clothes so smartly. They still hung perfectly off his thin frame. He smoothed the lapels of his coat unnecessarily, if he was going to show any weakness, now was the time. He had yet to decide whether he liked being back in his old clothes. These sent sparks to course through his body like a million tiny lightning bolts jumping about to reawaken nerves to old sensations they used to be accustomed to. That rush of power and superiority warred with much newer feelings of guilt. The man in this suit had seized the world with both gloved hands. As much as the Once-ler would have loved to deny it, he was that same man no matter where he was or in what clothes. No matter how he spun it, he was still the ambitious young man who took over this town. He was still the careless youth that destroyed the trees.

The rooms the Once-ler had rented were ones he would have only dreamed about before he sold his first thneed. They were something called a penthouse in Thneedville's most exclusive hotel. The need for hotels in an enclosed city left him puzzled until late last night when a group of rowdy over privileged boys checked in with their 'guests'. They were far from the only ones here to partake in such endeavors. The Once-ler had seen people of both genders and all ages paying for both a different place to stay and a new body to spend the night with. There were a couple of families staying to avoid being further inconvenienced by home renovations and more still who were taking a sort of vacation from the monotony of their luxurious lives.

Everything here was silks and plush clean carpets. Thin handmade china vases held only the lushest flowers to accent the décor. Intricate sculptures that surely go unnoticed as long as they are in attendance litter hutches and mantles. Like most, the amenities mean nothing to the Once-ler, as long as the room is extravagant enough to suit his new lifestyle.

None of these fixtures were so much as noticed as the tall blue eyed man made his way to the elevator. It was encased in gold plated doors and tiled with granite on its floor. Crystalline glass made up three sides of the vessel so the riders could see the exposed atrium the hotel had to offer. The thing was speedy enough, but only two floors down from the top floor, the doors opened again to pick up a woman with fierce black eyes and a wild mane of glossy black curls. Nearly six inch heels still left a half a foot of difference in height to the Once-ler's favor. She regarded him from between thick fanned lashes with her kiss dulled red lips pursed into a full lipped pout. Her body language only emphasized a sense of disdain towards the richly clad man as her jacketed arms crossed below her breasts. Her coat was a coal colored length of wooly fabric that flared out below her waist to make a full skirt that dipped down to her knees. It was buttoned up all the way now but the Once-ler was sure it had not been the night before. The elevator stopped again but this time it stayed put without opening the doors which elicited a groan from the girl.

A green gloved finger pressed the button for the lobby again and again several times before a smooth tan hand grabbed his wrist in a surprisingly strong grip. "Would you stop that Greenie?" Her whiney voice was just a bit hoarse when she spoke. The fingers of her right hand flew to her left wrist to finger a frayed rope bracelet. "Some big name wants to either inconvenience the whole building for a while or really wants to keep us here. You haven't been doing anything to upset Mr. O'Hare, have you?" She flipped waves of dark hair out of her face before resuming her fiddling.

The question threw the Once-ler off for just a moment. A whore really did just ask him if he did anything to the most powerful man in town. "No more than you, my dear, I presume," He flashed her his most charming smile as he leaned up against the heavy metal railing that separated his body from the glass and the contained artificial wildlife beyond. She eyed him with an appraising look that he was positive women must practice before plopping down to sit cross legged on the tile floor. He followed her lead and leaned against the glass to get comfortable, it could be a long stay. "So, what's your name?"

She looked up at him almost startled before assuming a persona the Once-ler had seen far too many times before. "What do you want it to be?" Her voice was in full seductive mode as it purred the question out. His answer was mumbled but in the quiet elevator she could just barely make it out. Ted. This guy was gay. It would be a waste of her time to try to get another paycheck out of him. "How long've you liked boys?" She wanted to throw herself off the elevator regardless of the floor for asking but she found herself unable of restraining her wondering tongue and mind.

"I never really cared what gender my lover was before. Now, I only want him." The Once-ler fidgeted with his gloves as he spoke, keeping his eyes away from the questioning girl.

She sat back against the wall opposite her company continuing to ring her bracelet around her wrist, "Sounds like that love thing fairytales are always harping about," Her voice sounded distracted.

His answer was quietly spoken back at her, "Feels like it too," As if on cue, the elevator began its descent once again causing the Once-ler to bolt to his feet. When helping the girl up, he noticed she was missing a finger on her left hand. Neither said anything until the doors opened to the lobby and they stepped out of the lift.

"Name's Eterna," The girl said while turning to him cheerfully. Her sparkling dark eyes seemed livelier then they had before.

The Once-ler was about to answer back when a hotel attendant approached him from behind, "Mr. Once-ler," The attendant tapped his shoulder. He opened his mouth to speak to her. "Mr. Once-ler, Mr. O'Hare has asked to see you." The tiny man squeaked out again seeming quite mouse like in his light gray uniform. The Once-ler shook his head, reminding himself that he is not here to make friends with prostitutes. He followed the man away from the shock frozen girl.

So it was O'Hare who had stopped the elevator. At least the man was decent enough to spare the Once-ler the trouble of chasing him down. Apparently, he has been far too busy with the high life for work or even parties honoring him. The blue eyed man flipped his bejeweled blue glasses onto his face and suppressed most of his pleased grin. There was no point in showing O'Hare how perfectly his plans were falling into place.


	23. Meeting with O'Hare?

Fake birds chirped and called from within the artificial aviary as the Once-ler followed the grey clad attendant. Further on were conference rooms and big ball rooms for parties. Twists and turns wound the pair further into the hotel's depths but eventually they came to a dead end with just one nondescript pale wooden door. The mousey man gestured the Once-ler to it over his full belly. A green gloved hand took a hold of the antique doorknob, turned it and pushed as the hotel employee disappeared back into the maze of hallways.

He was already forgotten though. The Once-ler was all about the man on the other side of this door. He entered, taking care to close the door and appear unrushed. It would not do to have the other man thinking he can control the One-ler too much. Requesting a meeting is one thing but trapping someone in an elevator and summoning them is another. This man had to see the Once-ler unperturbed. The Once-ler turned to regard his company. If this was Mr. O'Hare, Mr. O'Hare sure was pretty.

A busty blonde sat before him reading in a well- stocked library. She looked up when he entered and smiled, baring two rows of perfectly shaped pearly teeth. She stood to smooth her tight black pencil skirt and adjust the top of her mostly unbuttoned white dress shirt. She slipped off a pair of black rimmed reading glasses and spoke in a low womanly voice, "Ah, Mr. Once-ler. I have been waiting for you. I am Angel Wiles, Mr. O'Hare's secretary." She offered a perfectly manicured hand to the Once-ler which he promptly caught to kiss, thankful that the action gave his lips something to do other than grin dumbly. Angel blushed cutely at the action and covered her mouth with a hand.

"That certainly is a pair of chompers you've got Mrs. Wiles. It is a shame to cover them up so," The Once-ler commented slyly. He busied himself with putting his green top hat onto a table bare of books. Angel smiled bashfully at this which nearly brought a flush to his own face at how crossed arms showcased her bosom. "So, where is O'Hare hiding?" He punctuated the question with a glance under a table as she giggled at his antics.

She put her book aside and gestured the Once-ler to a pair of chairs near a cold fireplace. Angel said, "I am sorry for deceiving you, sir, but Mr. O'Hare is not coming today. Also, it's MISS Wiles, not Mrs." She accented her last statement with a gesture to the unringed ring finger of her left hand.

"Ah, I see. My apologies, I just figured that a charming girl like yourself would be stolen off the market. If I am not meeting O'Hare today, why am I here?" He smirked out his sexiest smile.

She arranged herself in her red silk cushioned wooden chair with legs crossed. Emerald eyes bore into the Once-ler's own icy ones as she spoke, "Mr. O'Hare has been quite busy in the past few days. He was not even present for his company's twenty-fifth anniversary celebration. I was hoping that you, the man who just appeared in the city seemingly out of nowhere, could clear some of these questions up. For instance, I would love to know why a man who is barely even fifty is suddenly so interested in retirement homes. His newly acquired taste for lower class filth could also use some explaining," Her flawless face drew back in a sneer as she referenced downtown Thneedville.

Suddenly, things began to click for the suited man, "Been missing your sugar daddy, have you?" He chuckled, "What kind of 'lower class filth' has he been interested in, Miss Wiles?"

"The street racing, and the factories, you jolly green giant! What else would I possibly be talking about?" She fumed, face reddening.

"Street racing?" What would a billionaire have to gain street racing?

"The motorcycle tracks in downtown Thneedville. Do not think for a moment that I would not notice the two of you rigging them to bring that poor boy down. What could you possibly have to gain from making him lose everything? So what if a kid missed work for a little while, it is not the end of the world!"

A kid missed work, and got in a motorcycle accident? "Ted," The girl almost did not hear his quiet outburst but it was noted.

"Yes, yes. Ted Wiggins, that kid that you worked with O'Hare to sabotage. Did you think I would not figure out that those funds we rewired were his? It is not like there was much to gain from any of this. His accounts were chump change to people like us. He is common-" She cut off when the Once-ler jumped to his feet.

"Don't you talk about Ted like that! He is more than anything you will ever be!" With the the man strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He had to get out of there. There must be some place to go and clear his mind. Ted, his Ted, had been in an accident! What had happened? Large plated glass doors were slid open to expose a room with vaguely familiar sounds. He continued his blind trek. Was Ted okay? Where was he? A constant roar drew him unconsciously until he was standing in a very secluded spot before a ten story waterfall. He finally snapped back to himself. Trees were everywhere and that sound was birds. 'Dead. I must be dead. How can I save Ted if I am dead?' A bright colored batch of feathers high above head caught his attention. That hanging thing was not a bird. He grabbed a leaf off of a nearby tree to examine it between long gloved fingers. Everything here was fake. This was the hotel's aviary. He backed up to a fake stump to sit. This whole place was a pitiful illusion just as the trufoola tree had been. Ted did not seem too fond of that thing. Maybe he had said something to upset someone or something. Where was he now? That bimbo had said he was in downtown Thneedvile but where? He stood, "Damn it!" He had just walked out on the one person that might have given him answers about his lover. The sprint back to the library was riddled with wrong turns and stunned workers and patrons. When he finally arrived back in the wood furnished room, there was no one there. "Well fuck," He could not get a hold of O'Hare long enough to talk, what chance was there of him talking to his sexy assistant who he just insulted. He snatched up his hat to perch it up on his black hair. Her book was still set upon a polished wooden table. He approached it slowly, as though it would snap at him if he startled it. The title stood out on the cover of the heavy book clearly, "The Trees of the World," So, O'Hare's secretary was interested in trees?


	24. Joblessness

Everyone knew that downtown Thneedville was the most dismal place in existence. There was no question about that. What most people do not know, however, is that only one thing could make the polluted streets full of decaying manmade structures even more dreary, rain. Fat, cold, brown-tinged droplets that stung the skin and could cause blindness fell from grey stormy clouds that only appeared that day. Ted was always adamant that the clouds were man made. He never had any proof but it seemed the rains were specifically planned to keep people in their homes or places of work. They occurred periodically, and mostly in downtown, as if life there was not already miserable enough. Ted, of course, being of hardier fare that most, was out and about in the poisonous downpour. He huddled the large plastic jacket closer around his form. It was the same dark green some of the machines made as a byproduct at his former work.

That was why he was out today, searching for work. His mom would be out on the streets in a matter of days if he did not pay her dues at the home. His friends had bought her a couple of days with their paychecks. Apparently, EatR had even taken an extra night shift or two to pull in a load of extra cash for this cause. Unfortunately, when it was apparent to the banks that the crew was helping Ted with his financial problems, their accounts were frozen too. Ted had incurred someone's ire, and he still had no clue who. Was O'Hare still upset that he left the city again? The two men had not even seen each other since Ted was a child. The first time he had snuck out. Ted could not count how many times he had since, so why was this last time so important?

His black booted feet stopped instinctively on a board covered stoop. The word "evicted" stared smugly at him as if he needed a reminder that he was losing. He commanded his feet to start again, in a different direction this time. He hated showing up at R.J.'s door jobless but he had no idea what else he could do. It was his suggestion to pawn the speeder so he could pay the other man rent, but R.J. refused this option. The hulking man had claimed that he would rather own the motorcycle than get money for it so Ted 'gave' it to him. There was still speculation to whether the man would keep it for payment, but he did bring it to his bud's garage for safe keeping. Ted missed it sorely already, walking left him far too vulnerable but what was worse was that his helmet had a leak in its disastrous state. It let in nasty smelling air from outside even though the filter still worked to give him oxygen with the toxins. His eyes had just started burning a few minutes ago but he knew he was almost to his destination.

Without his speeder, Ted noticed much more about his neighborhood. For instance, here there were still those plastic bubbles that had come out a few years ago only to be recalled in less than a month. The things were supposed to hold air in their confined spaces so the children could play outside for longer periods but as the air ran out, they suffocated without even realizing it. These seemed still in use, sitting next to doorsteps or under artificial trees for protection from the hazardous weather. Cars here had been eaten by smoggy rains over the years and were now mostly rusted carcasses that ran by some miracle, if at all. There were occasional newer models that were far less affected but they would be soon enough if their owners did not find a garage in which to keep them.

The plastic houses were mostly dry rotting to crack in less than structurally sound areas. Ted had seen neighbors go with the older houses collapsing. People, young or old had been taken by this fate as well as fires. Fires here were uncontrollably terrible. Since the houses were rarely removed of the industrial pollution, the stuff ignited like gas doused fireworks. Nothing anyone could do would have saved that first horrible smelling building, but the other two that fell to the spreading flames might have remained if the neighbors had acted just a little quicker. It happened like that all too often. An entire block had been lost just short of two years ago. For this reason, arsonists were killed quickly, usually by vigilantes.

Ted climbed a swirling dark grey plastic ramp to his temporary living space. This building was a dark blue with faded graffiti strewn across its surface. The first time he saw it, Ted was in awe of some of the artistic tags and paintings. R.J. claimed a couple were from his own hands but Ted was skeptical. The front door had no locks, but anyone would be crazy to try to steal from this man. R.J. was lying on his ratty old green sofa. It was pretty comfortable, well broken in Ted supposed. He had a mechanics manual covering the upper half of his smog darkened face. Ted hated how the pollution created a yellow green complexion in the faces of people who worked too closely with it. The television drowned out the soft sound of his snoring but a higher pitched voice nearly echoed through the cluttered room. Ted had to admit that the place was cleaner than when he was first brought here but R.J. did not quite seem to know what to do with most of his stuff. Books, motorcycle parts, and even money lay scattered across the apartments.

"And for another thing!" EatR called much more clearly to startle the slumbering man awake. She must have been in the kitchen. "Ted's cleaned most of this slum, you call a house," She paused in her rambling to curse at something. She certainly was a talented chef but she did not do it very often apparently. Whatever had irked her was not too bad or she would ask for help so Ted shrugged it off as his host lowered his reading material to peer into the kitchen. Well, glare more than anything.

"I said what I had to woman! Besides, this is a HOME, but I suppose a home wrecker like yourself would not know one when they see it," R.J.'s gruff voice called out to complete his portion of their normal bickering. "That thing is not even working, anyways. What is Ted going to do with it now? None of us can pay for its repairs even with your 'private' jobs bringing in more money." Ted took off his shoes pondering the last statement spat out of R.J's mouth.

A boot fell too loudly which jerked the older man's attention to the still wet boy but Ted refused to make eye contact. R.J's feet found a plastic floor and Ted took the now unoccupied cushion next to him as EatR continued her half of the argument unaware that he had come in. "Don't you sneer at my work, boy. You were not complaining about it when we met. Oh, wait! You were too busy g-"

"He's home," R.J. called hurriedly to silence her tangent.

EatR's voice changed from mocking to curios in record timing, "How did it go Ted?"

R.J. answered when Ted just averted his gaze further from any life form. It settled instead on R.J.'s collection of mechanical fish. They bobbed cheerfully about the forty gallon tank. These were all sorts of colors and looked nothing like the ones the Once-ler had pictures of, those orange humming fish that grinned and danced and sang. How could the Once-ler have done this to all of those animals? How could have done this to all these people? Ted ached at the thought of his lover cutting down all of those trees for a profit. That much wood would be worth a fortune now. He wondered how much the Once-ler might have gotten from it. A pair of big nearly black eyes slid into his view. "I said, 'I want to hear it from Ted'! So how about it sweetie, do you think you might want to work with us?"

Ted blinked as EatR's girlie face blocked his view of the fish tank, "Huh? Oh, yeah, right. Sure, I will work wherever I can get a job."

"Great," She straightened, "See, told ya he wouldn't mind. Ted's a big boy now." Her smirk widened as she patted Ted on the head and sent R.J. a triumphant look. "Well I'm off to get ready for the show tonight. Adrian told me that he needed someone for the shift after yours. If Ted talks to him before The Tree opens tonight, he can probably snag a job." She winked with a chuckle cast over her shoulder before she opened the plastic door, "By the way, now I know why you never take any of the girls home." Her laughter followed her out into the chilly acidic rain.

"You are sure about this Ted? I do not want you getting into something you do not want to." R.J. glanced around now avoiding Ted's gaze. Was that a blush on his features?

"I want this," Ted said, feeling sure that he meant it. An hour later that resolve was tested. Adrian, it turned out, was a well-oiled head of blonde hair set atop a sort slim body. He was agreeable enough even though it seemed he was more interested in getting his office empty of visitors. What was even more shocking, though, was 'The Tree'. 'The Tree' was a nickname for a strip club on the outskirts of the city called the fun district; its real name was The Tree of Forbidden Fruit. R.J. was apparently a bouncer but the real surprise was that EatR was a stripper. Ted always wondered why some of the guys at the track treated her so strangely, now he had his answer. This was going to be the most interesting night of his life, the brunet resolved, taking a sip of his soda at the bar as the lights in the club dimmed and the first shift began.


	25. That's Why

This whole day had been a complete and utter waste of time. It was not worth all of the precious seconds it held to make up its structure. The Once-ler sighed, ready to call it day as he laid a hand on his sleek green foreign car. It really was something if he said so himself. The paint was one of a kind in Thneedville. It was a deep green but instead of white highlights shining on the chassis there were pitch black shadows. Some weird scientific explanation about how color reacts to absorb and reflect light. All the Once-ler could remember was that it looked sexy. This color contrast only accentuated the soft dipping curves of the new model firebird. It had cost a fortune and had only escalated in value since he went under, but that price was chump change to him ever since he built up his business empire.

The Once-ler climbed into the car to regard the building he was leaving behind. Rich marble pillars provided more than extravagant support for the golden domed roof. They also announced the allegiances of the owners to wealth and power. They now had sculptures depicting their largest patron. O'Hare stood tall and proud in newer marble than the rest of the columns, it was surely reconstructed when the Once-ler himself fell from power. The statue of O'Hare was much bigger than the man was said to be in person but he was as distant as ever. O'Hare had an extensive network of loyalties but even the most steadfast citizen was able to be bought out, the only question was whether the black and green lanky form desired the information enough to part with his vast resources. Even his fortune was not limitless. Still, regardless of the large number of greased palms, information about O'Hare's whereabouts was still as difficult as ever to come by. With his absence, the Once-ler had no more leads to Ted. The secretary had disappeared and no one in the city had a clue as to where she went. It was almost like she left the city but the Once-ler knew there was nothing out there left for her. She just disappeared with her car, like she was never there. What was worse was that Erin O'Hare, one of the Once-ler's most knowledgeable new allies, had not even heard of the boy. At least, she acted as though she did not. The Once-ler knew that she was still under the impression that she could lie to him and get away with it. He idly debated how long it might take the self-thought man-eater to realize that she had been defeated. She, like so many before her, had such an inflated inclination that she could best any opponent to come up against her. Too bad that notion was an illusion.

Long soft green fabric fingers tapped in mock impatience. The Once-ler debated putting to use his purchase of the day, a renewal of a vice he picked up long ago, in his prime, but declined the indulgence. He would reward himself when he found the kid or destroyed O'Hare. He sat back against the black leather interior of his vehicle. His plan had been running so smoothly at first but now there were just so many unknowns floating about. Where were all of those important players in the heat of the games? Where was the kid? Something tugged at his memory and he finally allowed himself to let the itch in the back of his mind surface. Why were the citizens of Thneedville reacting so bizarrely to his return to the city? Most had no idea who the Once-ler had been. Then others recognized the name or the look of him before showing extreme confusion. It was as though the city itself could not decide whether it remembered his era or shunned it out of existence. No matter how the citizens attempted to vanquish the memory, it was not going anywhere. Too much evidence remained of the sin. This idea was enough to elicit a chuckle from the black haired man as he shifted his car into drive. Still, so much to do.

The drive from the bank to his hotel was not a particularly lengthy one but The Once-ler detoured along a new path every drive to see more of his old domain. This time he drove blindly in the direction of brightly colored buildings he now knew were referred to MCD. This was the middle class's district, the place they lived, worked, and died. At first he was surprised at the evolution of the town segregating its districts into social classes but now it seemed a logical course of action. The city had taken well to one of nature's cardinal principals. Now only those willing to fight were successful. Some bright whimsical structures that the Once-ler vaguely recognized melted away to larger vibrant abominations that he could not place. They were all built up on well-manicured lawns of fake foliage. Unnatural plastic greens jarred blue eyes as they moved in to crash harshly against tomato reds and blues the Once-ler had only ever seen in paints. Yellows, pinks, oranges, and purples also sprouted out of the 'lawns' to create nauseating spectacles that proved a new era of human torture devices had dawned. Due to the too crisp colors, it took the driving man longer than usual to recognize what these structures purpose was. These were a chain of group homes for elder citizens of Thneedville. Out on the nearly iridescent patches of faux grass were people in wheel chairs, using walkers, and struggling with canes. Some were accompanied by help in varying colored scrubs while others trekked or sat in their own lonesome haze. This could have been him as he aged if he had never broken his promise to the walking moustache. No unwrinkled face appeared without a medical uniform beneath it. If he had not cut down all of those trees, he would be locked away in an emphasized solitude just as these folks were. At least he had chosen his banishment; these people had been cast aside by society as their usefulness faltered. Even those clumped together must realize that they were just a selective collection of the rejects the city had disposed of.

A slight cracking noise shocked the man from his reverie. He was clenching gloved fists around the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were popping. The Once-ler was unable to place this nearly overwhelming feeling he felt. These people were nothing to him, just as they were to everyone else. Why were they igniting this foreign emotion in him? He sped away causing many of the seniors to jump out of their stupor at the sharp high pitched sound of rubber screeching against the asphalt. He could not get away from that place fast enough. With no direction in mind, he allowed the car to choose its own route and soon found him being dragged to previously unexplored areas by late afternoon traffic. His driving slowed as roads became more congested and residential areas broke apart into vacation areas. Signs advertising skiing and swimming took over. The billboards came more frequently on this road but on oddity that caught the Once-ler's eye was a woman.

This woman gave him an uneasy feeling as he pulled over on the side of the road to peer curiously at her unseen. She was huddled right below a sign showing a go cart racing track. Her head of closely cropped white ringlets were dingy now, in a nearly browned tan color though the Once-ler knew they were truly gray. She was curled into herself in a defeated manner wearing a once peach dress and pumps. Her form was unmoving in the sludge puddle that covered most cement in the area. That strange feeling overcame the Once-ler again as he glared at her growing form. He gave a start when he found himself standing above her quivering body, not realizing that he even approached the woman until her was crouching over her. "Hey…" What was he supposed to say to the only hobo in the city?

Too familiar brown eyes looked up at him through free flowing tears. Her face trembled with a mixture of the cold, wet, and terror. Her pale chapped bleeding lips parted to allow a string of uncontrollable hacking to escape the depths of her lungs as her body vainly tried to rid itself of toxins taken in on the streets. Tears threatened to escape blue-gray eyes as they took in an older female semblance of their lover. It was apparent that the woman was trying to speak to him but her ruined body was incapable of the task. He collected her from the unforgiving carpet of brownish-gray-green sludge to usher her grimy body into his pristine firebird. A myriad of coughing and grunted out incomprehensible words made up the soundtrack to his race to the hospital.

What might have been a long wait was cut down by an axe of green bills. Money thrown around soon had Helen Wiggins back to nearly perfect health despite a small rasp that the Once-ler was assured would disappear in a few short days. She was a lively lass, he determined in the longer than necessary drive back to the hotel, under her direction of course. As she spoke about how lovely the city was and her fondest memories about any spot really, all doubt about this woman being related to Ted died away. Some of his more subdued mannerisms shone through when she braked from her wild outbursts that seemed to take up most of her speech. The way her eyes lit up reminded the Once-ler of the morning he served Ted pancakes. Both Wiggins showed this same unquenchable joy at such simple things. For Ted those were food apparently, but for his mother, it was the boy. She spoke fondly of his childhood, of aspirations, and how he was the most celebrated guest to ever arrive at her community home. Sometimes she got quite after mentioning the group living compartments but others she seemed to think that was where they were headed. The Once-ler did not need to wonder about this woman losing her sharpness with age.

Raised eyebrows were all the pair got as they entered the ornate hotel, no objections. Her state of advance filth was note definitely but he was such a distinguished guest that no one had the courage to speak up about it. She was positively giddy about being in such a lavish environment that her constant chatter made a green hatted head ponder if her full voice would overwhelm the already raspy ranting filled space. They entered the elevator and praise of the interior of the previously inaccessible building continued up all the way to the top floor much to the dismay of another pair of guests, an older woman and her fit youthful companion. Dreamy comments about the aviary made the jeweled woman roll her eyes as her tight jeaned companion arched an eyebrow. Apparently, these two did not know how to recognize fine company when they saw it. Just a few floors after the two judging people left the elevator, the Once-ler gestured his guest into the penthouse.

There were still quite a few daylight hours but the black haired man directed the elderly woman to the marble tub intending her to bathe and rest for the rest of the day and quite possibly the night. She, on the other hand, had other plans. Her energetic voice filled the rooms with echoes of life much more realistically vibrant than the colors in MCD. "He had such a huge crush on her. I thought she broke his heart when the announcement came onto the television and he stopped showing up for visits. But then he did show up. Yes he did! He showed up and I knew he was going to be alright. He showed up better than ever! Yes he did," The Once-ler was not surprised that Ted was interested in a girl before the two of them became involved. What did surprise him, however, was that he had liked the same girl since he was a child. She continued talking about her son's pitiful love life as she dried a now snowy mess of curls wearing a fluffy pink bathrobe. "I thought it was love. We all did! But that girl wanted something more than love. She wanted a tree of all things and for a time, Ted was determined to get her one. He even left the city once looking for one because of Mom. Could you imagine, leaving the city to look for something as ridiculous as a tree? Oh, but Mom believed! She went on and on-"

"Excuse me, did you say trees?" Ted had come to him as a child to woo his love and he had denied him.

"Oh, yes! Ted left Thneedville and everything. Plastic knows what he found out there but he got in so much trouble that there was no way he could get out again. I saw to that!" How could this woman be so proud to ruin her son's chances with the girl he loved? How could she be so proud of denying the town the possibility of new trees? How could Helen be so proud of keeping Ted away from the Once-ler all those years ago?

The proud woman sipped her tea and began sorting medicines to assist her certain recovery, oblivious to the stunned man beside her.


End file.
